Forbidden Necessities
by ActAppalled
Summary: Entering 7th year of Hogwarts, Hermione is pleased to be Head Girl. But the shocking choice for Head Boy leaves her breathless. What happens when a tumble of confusing feelings leaves Hermione - and Draco - wanting more? HGDM Rated M for sex and language
1. Head Boy, Head Girl

**WARNING:** The following story is rated M for sexual description, violence, alcohol use and foul language. Reader's discretion is advised. ;)

**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **Before you being to criticize my writing, I am here to tell you that I am not entirely following the plot of the stories. This story takes place after the 6th book, and Dumbledore DOES survive. Voldemort is also entirely exterminated. Also, I'm not new to FF – I just wanted to take a different approach to the stories I write. Before, I have written love stories between Hermione and Ron, Hermione and Harry, and Ginny and Harry. Now, I'd like to take a different angle for a whole other audience of readers; Hermione and Draco love stories. The characters are two completely different people with different lives, and this fascinates me to somehow combine their complicated lives into one involving love, lust and passion. I tend to write a lot of sexual scenes, for future reference. Enjoy my first HG/DM story!

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**Chapter One:  
****Head Boy, Head Girl**

Hermione Granger ran her delicate fingers over the spine of the book she had read a billion times and gazed out the window. The trees flew by as the Hogwarts Express sped through tunnels, forests, and fog, yet the never ending ride seemed to bring a new sense of calmness to Hermione. Not only would seventh year be the most exciting year of her life at Hogwarts, it would be a year of peacefulness as well. The Horcruxes had been destroyed, Dumbledore and Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort once and for all, and everyone was finally at ease with their lives. The Death Eater's, we the exception of a three who had found their way into Azkaban (including Lucius Malfoy) had all been killed in the battle for Voldemort's survival. Finally, young witches and wizards attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were able to enjoy their years learning the ways of their future.

Smiling as the thoughts ran through her mind, Hermione glanced at the three people who sat across from them in their compartment – the three people she had grown to love and live with. Ron Weasley, the boy who had continuously attempted to win her heart over and always failed, had finally given in to the fact that they would always be friends, and smiled up at Hermione as he felt her eyes on him. His fiery red hair skimmed over the top of his eyes and fanned out behind his ears, giving him the boyish and innocent look he definitely did not make up for in personality. Harry Potter sat beside Ron, a board of wizard chess shared on their laps as they called out moves here and there. Harry was finally able to be calm about everything in his life, now that his one threat had been killed three months ago. He had also gained parental custody, somehow, from the Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and was welcomed to stay with them this summer rather than the Dursley's. His jet black hair remained untamed, and grew more unruly until it was hardly eligible to make out his piercing green eyes at times. Holding the free hand of Harry was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister and Harry's blissful girlfriend. She was the most beautiful of all the Weasley siblings, with her long more strawberry-blonde waves and light blue eyes that sparkled behind her freckle-dusted nose. She beamed at Hermione before continuing to read the Daily Prophet.

"Something wrong, 'Mione?" Ron asked, distracted by her concern which allowed Harry to murmur a cheat to the board. A white marble king came crashing down onto a black marble pod, causing Ron to jump and glare at his defeat.

"Nothing at all, Ron. I'm completely happy," she said, smiling as her hand ran through her mildly-tamed brown curls.

"Good. Want to go get me some Chocolate Frog's from the trolley?" he questioned, handing Hermione a few galleons as his eyes remained focused on the board.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Does anyone else want anything?" she asked. Ginny shook her head, and Harry wordlessly handed her a small stack of galleons.

"Surprise me," he finally murmured. Hermione stood up and pushed the glass door of the compartment open, glancing up and down the aisles for any signs of the trolley. It was perched at the end of the hallway, and Hermione began to walk down.

"Lost, Granger?" a familiar, cool voice cooed behind Hermione. She turned to meet a pair of deep, steely blue eyes set under a neat yet untidy mass of silvery blonde hair. Immediately, she knew it was Draco, but there was something different about his once-arrogant and boyish self. He had changed over the summer. His arms were noticeably thicker and more toned, even through his robes she could see that, and his dress shirt clung to his ripped stomach, hugging at the remarkably muscular frame of his body. A slight tan crept along his once-pale skin, giving him a charming glow that she had never seen in him before. He looked breathtaking, gorgeous, and beautiful.

"Something catch your eye?" he chuckled, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Hermione lifted her soft brown eyes to his, realizing she had been staring at his stomach, and beamed with a half-hearted smile.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she snapped with a grin.

"Nothing, really. Just letting you know that there's a Head Boy, Head Girl and prefects meeting at compartment one in five minutes," he said, grazing his fingers over his Head Boy badge. Hermione gulped. There was no way in hell that Dumbledore had made Draco Malfoy, son of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, a Head Boy. Was there?

"Well, uh, I'll see you there then," she said, turning her back to him again. Draco gazed down at her feminine figure, the curve of her hips making his heart flutter, and the softness of her waves circling around her shoulders. There was much more beauty in Hermione that Draco had never seen before, that childish fullness to her face had grown out to prominent cheek bones. She was a woman, with amazing womanly features.

"Something catch your eye, Malfoy?" Hermione purred, glancing back over her shoulder at Malfoy with a sexy slyness in her eye. He grinned and shook his head, accepting the defeat of being known that he was checking out Mugglebreath. Although, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of lover she would be, the noises she would make, the pleads she would cry out for him as he lowered and lowered his kisses to places where she needed him to kiss her. He violently shook his head, summoning those thoughts out. It was Granger, after all.

Once Hermione had purchased a handful of treats for Ron and Harry, she made her way to dump them off and, without another word, summoned herself to the front of the train, to compartment one. She peered inside, groaning at the sight slightly. Draco was perched on the end of the one seat, his one leg delicately rested on his other knee, and his hands balled up into fists at the middle of his thigh. The Slytherin prefects, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, sat across from Draco, tightly squished into the seat by the two Ravenclaw prefects, Padma Patil and Terry Boot, who sat across from the Hufflepuff prefects, Susan Bones and Ernie Macmillan. Considering compartment one was the largest passenger compartment on the train, it seemed extremely crowded with the seven people who were already sat in there, and three more to join – Hermione, and the two Gryffindor prefects, Colin Creevey and Parvati Patil. Taking a deep breath, Hermione pushed the glass door open and walked in.

"Hello, everyone," she said warmly. Everyone glanced up at Hermione, pausing their conversations, before continuing on. Draco was the only one who welcomed her with a smile, very unlike him, and she sat herself down between him and Susan Bones. She took a deep breath and glanced around the compartment as she waited for Colin and Parvati to show up.

As if on cue, the two stumbled into the compartment and, finding there were no more seats, chose to lean against the door. With everyone present, Draco lowered his leg and rested his forearms on his knees while Hermione folded her hands into her lap and smiled at everyone. "As you all know, we've been given a wonderful duty by Dumbledore to patrol the hallways of Hogwarts, and maintain a healthy lifestyle at school. As you all know, I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl. This is Draco Malfoy, Head Boy." Draco lifted a hand and grinned at Hermione, raising an eyebrow as he let her continue on with her speech.

"I'm rather surprised that a majority of you are in seventh year, as far as I know, but perhaps Dumbledore has decided that most sixth years are not mature enough to be prefects." Hermione gave an apologetic smile to Colin, before continuing on. "I'm here to tell you that when we arrive at Hogwarts, the ceremony of entry will begin with the first years sorting, followed by dinner and then prefects will be escorting their houses to their dormitories. After first years are settled in their new environment, we will be meeting back in the Great Hall at 8 o'clock sharp for Dumbledore's speech, followed by showing us to our new dormitories. Any questions?" Hermione took a deep breath and smiled around, glancing from each student to the next.

Nobody said a word.

"Well then!" Draco chirped up, rubbing his hands together. "Uh, we're arriving in less than five minutes, so go change and get the hell off the train." He grinned at the Slytherin's and shook hands with Blaise before escorting everyone out of the compartment, leaving Hermione to stare after him bewildered.

_Was Malfoy just mildly nice to me? And to everyone else? That's weird,_ she thought, furrowing her brow as she watched Draco come back in.

"Look, Granger," he said. "This isn't going to be the most super-fun-fantastic year of our lives as long as we bicker with one another. So let's just try to get along, alright?"

Hermione arched one perfectly-manicured eyebrow at Draco and shrugged. "Fine by me, but since when were you so Mr. Nice-guy with everyone?" she questioned.

_When I found out I was in love with a Mudblood named Hermione Granger. _"I just think it's for the best, for all of us. Don't be so hostile with me, Mugglebreath." Draco lifted himself off the seat across from Hermione and fixed his robes. "The train's slowing down. You better get back to your pathetic-o's before they cry over where you left." And with that, Draco turned his back on Hermione and exited the compartment. Hermione blinked furiously, racking her brain for some sort of thought as to why this was happening, when the train slowed to a stop.

* * *

"Now that dinner is over, I am pleased to ask the Prefects of each house to accompany the first years up to their dormitories for the evening. Second years to seventh years may re-familiarize themselves with the school until 9 o'clock, when I will ask all houses to be in their common rooms or dormitories until classes tomorrow morning." Dumbledore lowered his arms, summoning that the speech was over, and took a seat in the centre of the staff table. The sorting was finished, and dinner was being cleared as the Prefects from each house stood up and guided the first years to their dormitories.

"What are you up to, Hermione?" Ron asked as he licked the chocolate from his fingers, watching his plate clear from the scraps.

"Well, I have to meet back here at 8 o'clock, and considering there's only ten minutes until then, I figure I'll just stay back here and read or something," she said, reaching into her book bag and bringing out _Hogwarts: A History_, setting it out in front of her. "You guys can go, I'll meet up with you for wizard chess later."

Harry glanced at Ron, who shrugged and lead Ginny out of the Great Hall, laughing and joking with one another as scattered trails of Gryffindor and other house students left the Great Hall. Hermione sat crossed-legged on the bench with her back to the table, ignoring Dumbledore's sparkling eyes on her and that suspicious feeling that someone else was watching her.

Timidly, she lifted her eyes and glanced around the Great Hall. Padma and Parvati had finished showing the first years to bed, and were hovering side by side at the Ravenclaw table, murmuring quietly to one another with their long dark braids brushing the bench. Hermione glanced over her shoulder and immediately whipped her head back forward as her eyes had met Draco Malfoy's.

_Please, don't make him come over and talk to me,_ she pleaded in her head. It was too late.

"So, Granger. Seven million times wasn't enough to really understand that book?" he said, seating himself on the bench next to her.

"If you don't mind, Malfoy. I'd like to finish this chapter," she spat, turning the page and realizing that the chapter had already ended. Draco chuckled.

"Remember what I said earlier, Mugglebreath?" he murmured. "I'd like to keep it that way. Let's at least be somewhat civil this year, no matter how much you may hate it." He grinned and circled his strong arm around her delicate shoulders. "Deep down, we all know how much you want me, though."

Hermione snorted a laugh and daintily pinched the fabric of Draco's robes between her thumb and index finger, tossing his arm back into his lap. "In your dreams, Malfoy," she cooed, turning with her back to him and curtaining her long brown waves between them.

As the minutes ticked by, the Prefects made their way back into the Great Hall for the final meeting of the evening with Dumbledore. Once Pansy and Blaise had finally stumbled in, Dumbledore glided down from the staff table and stood at the end of the Gryffindor table, where everyone had seemed to gather around. Hermione closed her book and shoved it back in the bag, eager to hear Dumbledore's orders.

Dumbledore lifted his half-moon spectacles to gaze around the Great Hall, where a pair of each house colour met his eyes. He beamed at them all before clearing his throat. "As you know, you have been selected as Prefects for specific duties of responsibility through the school. First off, I shall begin with the expectations of the Prefects." Dumbledore turned his attention over to the Ravenclaw table, where the entire house Prefects had gathered around. "Prefects are expected to patrol the corridors and hallways of the school between the hours of 9-10, 10-11, and 11-12 during the evening. Houses will take turns in these patrols, which will be appointed by the Head Boy and Head Girl. You are all expected to be in bed by midnight at the latest, and will maintain order in your house common room. As Prefects, you are also given the ability to deduct points from houses. These actions will only be conducted if the student is entirely responsible for such punishment.

"Head Boy and Head Girl." Dumbledore turned his attention to Hermione and Draco, who sat side-by-side at the Gryffindor table. "Seeing as you two are the seniors of the Prefects, you are responsible for assigning duties to the Prefects. You have the same duties as the minors, however, you are allowed to stay up until 1 a.m. Consequences will be made for any inappropriate behaviour from you two, but I have no worries." With a smile, Dumbledore clapped his hands to summon Fawkes, who circled the tables quietly. "Now, if you will all follow Fawkes, he will show you to your new common room and dormitories. Your duties will begin tomorrow evening. Have a good evening."

Hermione shoved her book into her book bag and swung it over her arm, beginning to lead to the front of the Great Hall. Malfoy jumped up right behind her and ran to catch up.

"Excited?" he asked, tucking his hands away into his pockets.

"For?" questioned Hermione, keeping her eyes in front of her at all times.

"Being a Head Girl. I mean, why shouldn't you be? You get to work with the Slytherin Sex God." Malfoy grinned at his pet name, circling his arm around Hermione's waist. She grimaced and moved it away.

"Right…" She focused her attention to the Prefects behind her. "Come on, pick up your pace! We need to get to our dormitories right away to discuss our duties for tomorrow." Malfoy merely grinned, and followed Hermione out of the Great Hall with the Prefects trailing after him.


	2. Interruptions

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **Whew, it's been a long time since I updated this story. To be honest, I completely forgot I even wrote it! But I am updating now, and hopefully you all enjoy the second chapter. Review and let me know your thoughts!

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**Chapter Two:  
****Interruptions**

When Hermione woke the next morning in the seventh year girl's dormitory in Hogwarts, she heard the familiar breathing of Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Sally-Anne Perks, and Sally-Anne's friend, Barbara Wormhouse. The five girls were all in their seventh year, although Hermione had rarely spoken to Sally-Anne and Barbara. Hermione sat up and immediately threw on her robes and Head Girl badge, fixing her hair and grabbing her wand before she retreated downstairs to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry and Ron were already awake, surprisingly, and fully dressed as they sat by the fireplace, talking quietly.

"Good morning," Hermione said cheerfully, taking a seat on the ground in front of them.

"Hello, Mrs. Head Girl," Harry said with a grin.

"Oh shush, Harry. Honestly, just because I am Head Girl, that doesn't mean I am the boss of you two. I mean, I am." She blushed as Ron made a face. "But I am still the Hermione you've grown and been friends with since first year."

Ron rolled his eyes and stood up. "We've been waiting for you to get up so we can go downstairs and get some grub," he said, his stomach growling on cue with his words.

Hermione laughed and stood up with her two best friends, leading them out of the portrait hole and down towards the Great Hall. The hall was already full with the majority of the school, and the three sat in the middle of the table near Neville Longbottom and Ron's youngest sister, as well as Harry's girlfriend, Ginny Weasley.

"What do we have on schedule for today?" Harry asked, diving into a plate of scrambled eggs after he gave Ginny a light peck on the lips.

Hermione pulled out the parchment that held their timetables. They had Herbology with Hufflepuff, followed by double Defence against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw, lunch, then double Potions with Slytherin. Hermione recited this to Harry and Ron.

"Oh joy, double with Slytherin," Ron snorted through a mouthful of sausage. "That should be a wonderful experience.

However, Hermione looked thrilled to be spending double Potions with Slytherin, specifically so she could see Malfoy. That thought flew into her head and she wiped it away quickly. _Where the hell did_ that _come from_? She wondered.

The first hours of class passed by in a breeze, with the worst result being that Ron got severely beat up in Herbology while he was attempting to remove a Mandrake in order to start preparing the Mandrake Restorative Draught for a potions lesson later on for Ravenclaw. By the time Potions came around, Hermione was twitching with anticipation.

"Good afternoon!" the familiar voice of Professor Horace Slughorn greeted Harry, Ron and Hermione as they walked one by one into the Potions classroom. Hermione took a peek in the corner of her eye to see Draco Malfoy, leaning against his desk with Crabbe and Goyle on either side, grinning sheepishly to himself.

"Well, without further ado," Slughorn said with a smile, spinning on his heel to write something on the blackboard behind him. "Today, we will be working on philter known as the Identity Charm. A Polyjuice Potion is similar to this philter, however it does not actually turn those into the person they choose to be. Can anyone tell me what a philter is, just to remind the class?"

Hermione's hand shot up. Naturally, she was chosen. "A philter is a potion used to enchant or charm the drinker, such as a Love Potion," she recited.

"Excellent! Ten points for Gryffindor. Now, if you would all turn to page four hundred and eighty two in Advanced Potion Making, we'll get started. Oh!" Slughorn turned around dramatically with a swirl of his robes. "I almost forgot to pair you up."

The end result turned out to be Harry with Pansy Parkinson, Ron with Millicent Bulstrode, and Hermione with Draco Malfoy. Malfoy grinned as Hermione gathered her things and slid onto the stool beside him.

"Fancy us, being partners. The two Heads of Hogwarts," Malfoy said with a sly grin.

"Very funny," Hermione muttered under her breath, pushing Advanced Potion Making to the correct page. "Maybe we should just get started."

Draco pushed his cauldron to the middle of them and stood off the stool so he could see inside of it. "What are the ingredients?" he asked, his seriousness causing Hermione to raise her eyebrows.

"Uh –" she faltered for a minute before glancing in the textbook. "Oh, well it's quite similar to a Polyjuice Potion. Fifteen Knotgrass, four leeches, twelve lacewing flies that have been stewed for twenty-one days, shredded skin of boomslang, three pinches of dragon dung, eighteen fairy wings, and four drops of elixir." Hermione glanced down at the book once more. "And an extract of the identity you wish to be."

Malfoy went off towards the cupboard along with Ron and Harry to look for the ingredients while everyone else was still flipping open to their books. Hermione sat back and ran her fingers over the desk top as she waited for Malfoy, her heart hammering in her chest. The emotions she felt for Malfoy were drumming in her thoughts, and she could barely concentrate. She hardly noticed Draco returning with everything.

"Here," he said, placing each bottle on the desk. "Shall we?" He grinned down at Hermione as he began to open the jar of leeches.

Twenty minutes into the brewing, Hermione and Draco's potion was almost complete, and all they needed to finish it was the extract of identity and to let it simmer for an extra five minutes. Hermione poured half of the philter into her own cauldron and glanced around for someone's identity to use. With her head turned, Draco reached over and plucked a strand of hair from her head.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, grabbing the area where he had plucked the hair and turning to glare at him.

"Oh, come on," he said with a smile, adding the hair to his cauldron and watching it bubble until it was burgundy in colour. "Here, you can be me." Draco reached up and pulled a single strand of blonde from his head, leaning over to place it in Hermione's cauldron. Her potion turned green.

"Excellent work here, you two!" Slughorn exclaimed as he waddled over towards Hermione and Draco, peering into their cauldrons. "Ten points for both your houses. Shall we allow it to simmer before you demonstrate the work to your class?"

Hermione nodded and watched Slughorn waddle around the class, viewing everyone else's cauldrons. Ron had managed to get it to a state where it was almost complete, but still had things to fix. Harry had completed his just as Slughorn came up and patted him on the shoulder, making Harry turn deep red.

"So." Draco's voice brought Hermione back to her own station, where she turned to face the Slytherin Sex God. "We did a mighty fine job here, Granger," he said, smiling.

"It appears that way," Hermione said coolly. She refused to let the butterflies in her stomach that erupted every time Draco spoke distract her from the lesson. Suddenly, the butterflies increased as Draco leaned forward and placed a hand on her knee.

"Don't be so cold with me," he said in a soft voice, his eyes staring into hers. "There is little we know about one another."

Hermione couldn't speak, her heart was doing flip-flops and her mind was becoming even more cluttered with thoughts. She glanced from his hand to his face, which held a soft look that she had never seen on him before.

"Okay," she squeaked finally, her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip. Draco smiled and moved his hand away as Slughorn came to join them once more.

"Alright you two, would you care to demonstrate your potions?" he asked. Draco stood up and dipped the goblet that stood beside his cauldron into the red liquid, holding it under his face as light red steam intoxicated him for a moment. Hermione watched as his eyes closed slowly, and she realized – after glancing at the textbook – that this was the proper way to take the potion. He closed his eyes, took a deep inhale of the steam, and then held it to his lips to fully drink the liquid. Hermione then followed suit with her own potion, gulping back the green liquid and waiting for the effect to kick in.

About a minute afterwards, both Hermione and Draco's eyes bulged wide and they gasped out in surprise, touching their faces and looking one another up and down.

"This is absolutely ludicrous," Hermione's tone came out of Draco's mouth. Although it wasn't her exact voice, it sounded very much like her in the way she spoke.

"Holy shit, this is nuts," Draco said in Hermione's body, staring at his own body up and down.

"Very well done, you two," Slughorn said cheerily. "Another ten points for both houses. And don't worry; the potion will wear off in five minutes since it wasn't the full potion in the textbook. You have to double the ingredients to make it last for a full day."

Hermione stared at her own body from Draco's eyes, and he mimicked her. "This is weirder than when I had Polyjuice Potion," she said.

"What was that?" Slughorn asked.

"Oh, nothing." Hermione pressed her lips together and reached up to touch her hair, only to realize it was much shorter. "Strange!"  
Harry and Ron hurried over, glancing over Hermione. "Is it really you, or are you two just faking it?" Ron asked.

"It's really me!" Hermione snapped, putting Draco's hands on his hips. "Honestly Ron, why would you ever doubt my ability in Potions?"

Ron snorted. "It's her, alright." He turned to face Draco as Hermione. "Well hell that's weird."

Draco grinned and reached down, grabbing Hermione's breasts and squeezing them. Hermione gasped as she witnessed this.

"Don't touch me!" she squealed, slapping Draco's hands away.

"Nice tits, Granger," he said with a grin. Hermione could feel herself blush.

Sure enough, five minutes after experimenting with the potion, Hermione was in her own body once more and Draco in his. Slughorn escorted the two houses out of the classroom as the bell rang, signalling the end of the day.

"Nice work today, Granger," Draco said as they were leaving, making sure he wasn't within hearing range of Harry and Ron who were walking in front of them.

"You did well too, Malfoy," Hermione said with a smile she couldn't help conceal.

"Listen." Draco pulled her over to the side. "As Head Boy and Head Girl, I think it would be better if we got to know each other. You know, so we really know one another and will be able to get along better."

Hermione raised her eyebrows and hugged her books close to her chest. "What are you trying to ask me?" she asked.

Draco smiled, and sighed. "I mean maybe we should talk in private later. I mean, if you're not busy." He pushed a strand of blonde out of his eyes as he spoke.

"Oh." Hermione blushed and hid her face behind her books quickly. "Sure, I mean, that would be okay."

"How about we meet in the library after dinner," Draco suggested, his hands shoved in his robe pockets.

"I swear to God Malfoy, if you are pulling a horrible trick on me, I'll be sure Dumbledore hears about it and –" Hermione started.

"No trick!" Draco chuckled and shook his head. "Jeez, Mugglebreath, relax."

"Stop calling me that," Hermione snapped.

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry. I'll see you in the library after dinner then." He turned to walk towards the Slytherin dungeons, leaving Hermione to stand there with her books to her chest, trying to process everything that had just happened.

When dinner rolled around, Hermione escorted the first years and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw prefects into the Great Hall, telling the first years to sit where they pleased. However, first years usually ended up sitting nearest to the entrance of the Great Hall, since the middle section seemed to be the most popular among the older students. The prefects sat at their house tables near the first years to monitor them with a close eye, while Hermione went to join Harry and Ron in the middle.

"I feel like a babysitter," Hermione scoffed as she sat down beside Ginny and helped herself to a scoop of mashed potatoes, a pork chop, and some green beans.

"I thought you liked being Head Girl," Ginny asked as she munched on a dinner roll.

"Oh, I do," Hermione said quickly, mounding on the piles of food. "The first week is the most difficult though, trying to get the first years into a relaxed state with the school and telling them where to sit, what to do, etcetera. I'll be glad when this week is over."

Ron munched loudly on a piece of chicken as he glanced up at Hermione. "Whaf are you dung aft dinur?" he mumbled between mouthfuls of food.

Hermione grimaced as Ron spat chicken on her, wiping it off with a napkin. "Well, I'm going to the library to meet with Dr – Malfoy about some things that need to be done around the school. I suppose I will meet you two in the common room later on," she said, partially lying to her three best friends. She hated the feeling.

"Okay, 'Mione." Harry smiled and picked up a dinner roll for himself, smearing butter on it and popping it into his mouth.

"Feel bad for you," Ron said after swallowing his food, to Hermione's delight. "Stuck in a library with Malfoy for – how many hours?"

"Oh, probably two or three," Hermione said, glancing down at her plate as she scooped a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"Blimey, that's a long time. What's so important that needs to be done in the school to make you and Malfoy have a two to three hour meeting?" Ron asked suspiciously.

Hermione gulped, silently she hoped. "Oh, well, I can't tell you. Head Boy and Head Girl things, you know," she said in a casual voice.

Ron glanced over Hermione once more, his eyes scanning her face for any signs of guilt before he returned back to his food. Hermione could tell Ron knew something.

After dinner, Harry hurried off for Quidditch practice with Ron close on his heels, their broomsticks over their shoulders. Hermione waited until most of the Gryffindor students had cleared out of the Great Hall before she gathered her books and made her way up to the library. Her heart was pounding in her chest as each foot landed on the next step of the staircases, the moving portraits on the wall smiling at her and staring her down. She almost tripped on the last step, clutching her books to her chest and breathing a little heavier than usual.

"Alright there, Miss Granger?" a familiar voice said. Hermione inclined her head slightly to see Nearly Headless Nick coming towards her from the opposite staircase, floating gracefully over the stairs.

"Oh. Yes, I'm fine. I didn't notice you there, Nick," she answered nervously. She felt as if she was going somewhere where she shouldn't be going – in a way, she was. She was betraying her friends, who both despised Draco Malfoy, in order to fill her own needs of seeing him for just one time.

Nick laughed and circled Hermione a little. "No one ever does. Where are you off to? The library, I am assuming." He smiled and put his hands on his transparent hips. "Always the top of the class, Miss Granger, aren't we?"

Hermione laughed nervously and edged forward up the stairs a little more. "Well, yes. I like to get some extra studying in, with N.E.W.T.s this year and everything," she responded. "I should probably be going now though." She moved around Nick nervously. "It was good talking to you. Have a nice evening."

"You too, Miss Granger." Nick watched Hermione dart up the final steps, watching her with a suspicious stare.

By the time Hermione had reached the library, standing outside of the large oak doors, her heart could barely stand still in her chest. _What in God's name is wrong with me_, she thought to herself. _It _is_ Malfoy after all. Remember Hermione? The one that called you a Mudblood in second year?_

The library doors swung open and Hermione jumped in surprise as a group of first years hurried out with a book each in their hands, giggling and blushing. As they sped past Hermione, she finally told herself to smarten up and grasped the handle of the door, pulling it open and walking in as confidently as she could manage.

The library was quiet for the most part, with a handful of first, second and third years scattered around in plush armchairs, studying in desks, or talking in hushed voices by the bookshelves. No one familiar caught her eye, with the exception of her fellow Gryffindors who waved and beamed at her. She nodded briskly to the librarian, Irma Pince, who nodded back much quicker than Hermione had and continued to shove her head into the book she was reading – _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_.

Hermione glanced down the aisles, lit by lamps and lined with desks, to find Malfoy's pale blonde hair. There was no sign of him. Frowning, she went towards Madam Pince to return the books she had taken out.

"Thank you," Hermione said, turning towards the library again. That was when she caught a glimpse of an oil lamp's flicker on the shine of a pale blonde head. She moved towards the section that sight had caught her attention, and saw nothing.

"Granger," Malfoy's voice called out from within the aisle. Hermione almost jumped until she realized she was standing in the Invisibility Section – all the students who stood in this aisle turned invisible. Slowly, she entered the section and discovered she was invisible as well.

"Where are you?" she asked in a hushed voice. A hand reached out and grasped her shoulder, turning her towards the hand's owner, which turned out to be Malfoy as he backed out of the section, a grin plastered on his face.

"That wasn't nice," Hermione said as she walked out, standing two inches away from him.

"I'm not a nice person, Granger," he grinned. "Shall we?" He gestured towards two nearby armchairs on either side of a circular table.

Hermione walked past him and slid into one of the armchairs, waiting until Draco sat in the opposite seat before she slid out her wand from her robes, muttering a spell under her breath. A faint yellow haze surrounded them.

"What spell did you cast?" Draco asked curiously.

"A voice changing spell," Hermione answered as she slid her wand back into her pocket. "We can talk about anything, but everyone who walks by will think we are discussing our duties as Head Boy and Head Girl. It lasts for an hour, so that's all the time you have."

Draco nodded and placed his ankle on his opposite knee, his hands folded over his ankle. "You start," he suggested, a smile spreading across his lips.

Hermione sat, looking puzzled. "Start how?"

"Tell me about your early life," he said.

Hermione blushed. "Oh, well, there really isn't anything interesting to tell. Both my parents are Muggles and dentists, and I was completely unaware that I was witch until I received my letter from Hogwarts six years ago or so." She shrugged casually. "Honestly, my childhood was simple. I had few friends, enjoyed reading and spent most of my time visiting the library or walking around London with my parents."

Draco looked stunned to be taking in the information. "I don't understand how you could grow up with Muggle parents," he said in an awed voice.

"It was quite normal!" she snapped, her brows knotting together in anger. "And don't you dare attempt to insult my parents."

"I'm sorry," Draco apologized earnestly, looking deeply concerned. "It was just a much different childhood for me."

"What was yours like?"

Draco paused and looked down at his hands. "My father more so than my mother was very strict. Of course, I knew what I was since the day I could speak really, considering both my parents are of magical blood." Hermione had a flash of warning cross her eyes. "Well, our family is strictly pure-blood. And up to the day I received my letter to Hogwarts, I was brought up entirely on magical toys and ideas. I couldn't practice magic, but my father would take me outside and wave his wand around casting strange spells at every object. He told me that when I was older I would follow in his footsteps, and be a powerful wizard under the supervision of an even more powerful wizard." Draco cringed at the thought of Voldemort and his father's Death Eater status, but continued. "I was immensely spoiled by both of my parents and received anything that I wanted, to an extent. I remember receiving a Nimbus Two Thousand a few months before I would be leaving for Hogwarts, and my father and I would practice Quidditch in the backyard from dawn until lunch time. We had hundreds of house elves under our power, and I knew that I could ask them to do any task, and they would have to." Draco paused again as he saw the hurt on Hermione's face. "But everything aside, I hated my childhood. I hated that I was so scared of my father, I hated that I feared Voldemort would arrive at our house in the middle of the night to take him away.

"Part of me didn't want to follow in my father's footsteps – I was so scared of becoming a Death Eater and having my entire life decided for me. More than anything, I was scared of the power I would hold as a wizard under my father's wishes, and I was scared I would harm people."

"Draco," Hermione asked, her eyes full of confusion. "Why did you act so hurtful and angry towards everyone who wasn't a Slytherin then? Why did you particularly hate Harry and us for so many years, if you were scared of being a wizard?"

"Mainly because my father told me to be," he said, his hands knotted together. "He told me Slytherin was superior to every house in Hogwarts, and therefore everyone was below me and scum. You don't understand, Hermione." Hearing him say her first name caused butterflies to erupt in her stomach. "The only hand-me-down I ever received from my family was the need to be prejudice towards Muggles, Muggle-borns, half-bloods and blood traitors. Therefore, I was taught to hate every other house, even if they had pure-bloods, because Slytherin is made practically entirely of pure blood families."

Every piece of information that Hermione was learning about Draco's life thrilled her, and although her heart of nervousness had slowed down to its normal speed, a new rush of adrenaline ran through her blood.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione said, fighting back the temptation to lean over and place her hand on his knee in comfort. "What caused all that prejudice to disappear this year in particular?"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth on the ground as if he was watching a tennis match. "With my father being captured and sent to Azkaban, I feel almost… safe. I feel human." He smiled a toothy smile as he realized this inside of his own head. "I don't feel the need to obey every order he has given me, or scream at you and mock you."

Hermione smiled reassuringly back at Draco, and crossed her ankles underneath her. "I think it's wonderful that you feel like that suddenly," she admitted.

Draco laughed nervously. "I didn't realize that in order to finally admit to my true feelings, I would need to let them out to someone I have tried to avoid and despise for the majority of my school life," he said.

Hermione smiled and nodded slowly. Draco's confessions were building up more and more adrenaline inside of her, and she was completely enthralled in everything he was telling her.

"What else would you like to know?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh!" Hermione blushed and drummed her fingers on her knees nervously. "Well, I don't know. Perhaps some generic questions?" she suggested.

Forty minutes later, Hermione had learned that Draco's favourite colour was blue, he adored the Quiberon Quafflepunchers, a Quidditch team from France, and he loved the smell of meat pies baking in the corridors of Hogwarts. The yellow conversation haze had slowly begun to drift away, which led to Hermione erupting into a conversation about their duties for the week as a group of fourth years walked by with their eyes on them.

"Well," Draco said, standing up and glancing at the large clock that hung over the doors of the library; it read nine-thirty. "Perhaps we should head to the Great Hall and talk to the Prefects about the night watch."

"Oh, of course." Hermione was shocked that Draco had remembered and she hadn't – she had been so wrapped up in their conversation that she had almost forgotten about the meeting schedules she had had pinned up in the common rooms of every house for the Prefects.

As Draco and Hermione exited the library – Draco even held the door open for her, to her surprise – they began to make their way to the Great Hall, making sure that no first years were wandering around the corridors on their way down. As they stood on the staircase, waiting for it to move towards another corridor, Draco's hand lightly brushed over Hermione, causing a series of shivers to travel up her arm.

"This was fun," he said finally, ruining the silence they had shared on their ten minute walk towards the Great Hall.

"It was," Hermione agreed, smiling shyly as she turned towards the marble staircase. It was then that Draco caught her hand and stopped her. She paused and turned to see what was wrong, but was interrupted as his hands slid to either side of her waist and he pressed her lightly against the cold stone walls, staring down at her with a mixture of passion and confusion in his steely blue eyes.

"I don't know how to feel about you," he confessed in a murmur, his eyes searching hers for some sort of sign. "I enjoy teasing you, maybe not as much as I did in the past six years, and I can't stop staring at you. Why?"

Hermione blushed deep red and began to look down at the floor, but Draco's hand caught her chin in the act of doing so. He brought her chin close with one hand, his other rested firmly on her lower back as he held her body close to his, and his lips moved in towards hers. Hermione could feel heat surging through her body at the closeness of Malfoy, his cool breath tickling her skin, and leaned forward at the same time as him. Her arms began to wind around his neck, her hands into his thick hair, and her back arched slightly as both of his hands grasped her lower back, inching lower and lower. Their lips remained untouched, but their breathing grew heavier and their eyes were only half open as Draco pulled Hermione's hips roughly against his. She gasped in surprise, and finally leaned forward to touch his lips with hers.

That's when the Great Hall doors burst open, shocking both of them and causing them to jump back immediately as Colin Creevey strutted out of the Great Hall, glancing from left to right until his eyes landed on them at the top of the staircase.

"There you two are!" he said loudly. "Everyone is already here and waiting, where have you two been? Come on already!"

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, sighed softly, and retreated down the stairs and into the Great Hall after Colin, closing the large oak doors behind them.


	3. After Quidditch

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** Hey Hermione and Malfoy fans. So I've come up with a new idea that will help me stay on schedule for my stories. I've picked five stories out of the ones I've written, and I've decided to have an update day for each one. I would do seven for every day of the week, but I have no access to a computer on the weekends for the most part. Therefore, this story will have a new chapter update every Thursday. If you want to see the five story updates I have chosen to do, check out my profile. Thank you so much, and I'm glad that everyone seems to be enjoying this story a lot. Keep reviewing and give me some suggestions on what you would like to see in upcoming chapters.

* * *

**Chapter Three:  
After Quidditch**

The next day consisted of classes for the Head Boy and Girl, which was overall very irritating. Hermione made sure she was up extra early so she could finish working on her essay for History of Magic class about why witches deserved the same treatment as wizards, with reference to past events that occurred. She had her second roll of parchment tumbling off the Gryffindor table, two books propped open against a milk and pumpkin juice jug, and her inkle bottle half-full as she was frantically scribbling away, glancing up at the books every so often. Her hair was a mess, pulled away from her face in a no-nonsense bun, and her robes were just a bit wrinkled.

Hermione was never a wreck, but last night she barely slept with the thoughts of Draco and her almost kissing last night spinning through her mind. The closeness of his body had scared her, yet made her lusting after him even more. Now, more than ever, she was confused about her true feelings for him and concerned with being unable to finish any of her homework for her classes.

"Morning, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed as he and Harry came in through the Great Hall doors. After taking a quick scan of Hermione's appearance, Ron grimaced and slid into the seat across from her. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is perfectly fine, Ron," she said, never lifting her eyes as her quill flew over the parchment, scratching notes hurriedly. "I was just finishing up my essay for History of Magic."

"You look as if you've been up all night," Harry noticed as he sat down next to Ron, reaching over to grab an apple from a bowl.

You have no idea, Hermione thought. "No, just kind of in a hurry. Had a late meeting with the Prefects last night, and I'm a bit tired from it."

Ron glanced at Harry worriedly, who shrugged and bit into the apple. "Alright, if you say you're okay, we'll believe you," Ron said.

Hermione nodded, still scratching away at the parchment. She spent the entire breakfast scratching away at her essay, finally finishing her second roll and allowing it to air dry as she leaned back on the bench, sighing and rubbing her sore wrists. Harry and Ron had already left for Quidditch practice, and she had an hour to spend before she had to meet up with them for Potions with Ravenclaw. She glanced around the Great Hall to see who else was still there. Parvati Patil was flipping through Witch Weekly absentmindedly, her long braid thrown over her shoulder and a dreamy look on her face. Susan Bones was twirling her wand around on the table, making an orange roll back and forth at the movements. And there, at the Slytherin table, was Draco Malfoy, hovering over Crabbe and Goyle as he murmured something in their ears. Both his goons laughed appreciatively and looked up at him. Draco grinned back, his eyes flicking upwards… to meet Hermione's.

Her heart thudded as she turned her attention quickly away. The familiar butterflies erupted in her stomach at the sight of him, and she groaned inwardly at the feeling. She needed to get out of there; fast. Tapping the last word on her parchment with her finger to ensure it was dry, Hermione rolled up her essay and shoved it in her bag, along with her quill and ink bottle, grabbed an apple from the table, and hurriedly got up from the Gryffindor table to go down to the Quidditch pitch. Any excuse to get Draco's lingering gaze away from her was a good for her.

The weather was crisp and cool, but not too cool that one would have to wear a sweater. Hermione yanked the elastic out of her hair and shoved it into her bag, running her fingers through her tousled locks as she found a seat in the stands of the Quidditch pitch. Harry was soaring through the sky above her, doing difficult dives and twirls on his broomstick, while Ron hovered in the same triangular formation in front of the three golden hoops. He was muttering to himself, his eyes closed in concentration.

"Alright!" Harry yelled to the rest of the team, ensuring everyone had his full attention. "Tomorrow's our first match, and it's against Slytherin. You know what that means."

"We have to kick their asses," Ginny said with a smile, hovering with the Quaffle tucked under her arm.

Harry grinned at his girlfriend, nodding. "Right, to sum up basically. Well, I just know we're going to do great. We all know the formations we discussed last night, correct?" There was a nod around from the team. "Excellent. Let's get started then."

Ritchie Coote, one of the two beaters, swirled in the air with the club tightly in his grip, looking around for any Bludgers that the other beater, Jimmy Peakes, had missed. The other two Chasers, Demelza Robins and Neville Longbottom – to Hermione's surprise and delight – soared majestically around the stadium, laughing a little as they tried to steal the Quaffle from Ginny's grip.

Hermione leaned back against the stand in peace, waving to Harry and Ron as they noticed her. Ron seemed pleased to see that she looked much better and neater in the stands, and Hermione closed her eyes momentarily as the cool breeze twirled her hair.

"Oh, come on Malfoy!" Harry moaned suddenly from the sky above.

Hermione's eyes snapped open as she jumped to her feet from the stands to peer over. The Slytherin team had strutted out of the changing rooms, smiling happily up at the Gryffindors as they approached the pitch. Malfoy, the newly appointed captain of the team as well as their Seeker, smiled as Harry landed down beside him on the pitch. Hermione strained her ears to listen.

"We have the pitch booked today, Malfoy," Harry growled, holding his Firebolt upright.

"I'm aware of that, Potter," Draco said with a sneer. "I have permission from Slughorn to practice with your team today. I hope you don't mind, but I thought a practice round would help us both out for tomorrow's match."

"Don't let him, Harry," Ron said as he landed behind Harry, slipping his helmet off.

"Do you have a note?" Harry asked as calmly as he could, extending a hand. Draco reached into the pocket of his green and silver robes, extracting a folded yellow piece of paper, and handing it over to Harry.

"I, Professor Slughorn, hereby allow permission for the Slytherin Quidditch team to practice in the pitch today along with the Gryffindor Quidditch team in preparation for their first match tomorrow afternoon." Harry sighed as he finished reading it and tossed it on the grass beside him. "Fine, but I swear Malfoy, if one thing goes out of hand, we're calling the practice off."

"Fine. Shake on it?" Malfoy extended his hand, a smile on his face. Harry grimaced at his hand, then reluctantly took it and shook it before briskly soaring back into the sky with the rest of his team, closely followed by Ron. The Slytherin teamed erupted into the air at the same time, soaring in a tight circle as they worked out their formations.

Hermione sank back into the bench, hiding her face, and the movement caught Draco's attention out of the corner of his eye obviously, since he turned his head to look at Hermione. She peeked up at him over her hand, and his face flushed immediately as he turned to face the team again, somewhat distracted this time.

Halfway into the practice, with no problems yet – surprisingly – Hermione began to collect her things and waved at Harry and Ron, telling them that class was starting in twenty minutes. Harry blew the whistle around his neck, followed by Malfoy.

"I have to get to class everyone, so let's try this later tonight then. Without the Slytherins, if that's alright with you, Malfoy." Harry cast a sideways glance at Draco, who shrugged.

"Let's get going, everyone." Draco calmly soared down with his team following him, cast one more look at Hermione, and left the pitch.

Hermione hurried down to the pitch to meet up with Harry and Ron.

"Did you see how Malfoy acted? Almost… nice." Ron shuddered. "I think he's gay for you, Harry."

"What!" Harry's eyes bulged out of his head, and Ginny erupted into a fit of giggles. "There's no way Malfoy's gay for me."

"Let's get to class," Hermione muttered, turning away from the boys and walking out to wait outside of the changing rooms.

By the time Harry and Ron had changed into their robes, they only had five minutes to make a mad dash to the dungeons before they had points deducted from Slughorn. Hermione broke out into a mad dash, beating Harry and Ron by a mile to their surprise. When she turned the corner, almost to class, she ran straight into someone else, her books falling everywhere and her bag's handle tearing audibly.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione squeaked as tears began forming in her eyes, crawling over to pick up her things. "I'm almost late for class, and I was so worried I would have points taken away. It's so embarrassing when you're a Head Girl, really…"

A hand rested over Hermione's, causing her to look up. Draco Malfoy was looking back at her, his eyes searching hers as he handed her the last book she had dropped.

"It's okay," he murmured, leaning forward to tuck a strand of hair away from her face. He let his face linger in that closeness for a minute before Hermione heard Ron and Harry jogging down the stairs of the dungeon. Hurriedly, she gathered her books into her torn book bag, dragging it behind her as she shot an apologetic look at Draco, who remained sitting on the ground stunned. She briskly walked the rest of the way to Potions, arriving two minutes earlier than Harry and Ron, who just made it on time.

After Potions, Hermione left without waiting for Harry and Ron, who were forced to help clean up the Sleeping Draught that Neville had spilt all over the room. She hurried upstairs from the dungeons, clutching her books to her chest with her heart pounding. In less than four hours, she and Draco would be having another meeting with the Prefects. It was agonizing to wait for it, yet she didn't want it to come. The feelings that Draco was giving her were too much to deal with, especially since it was her last year at Hogwarts. After this year, her entire future had to be set up carefully, and she would have to start a family with someone – but whom?

The mental questions she was giving herself made a pounding ache surround her thoughts.

"_Libri pera reparo_," she muttered, casting a repairing charm on her book bag. The strap stitched itself back together, and she shoved her books inside as she made her way upstairs to her Ancient Runes class with Slytherin, a course Harry and Ron had refused to take. Walking into the classroom, she cursed under her breath as she saw the back of Draco's head beside the only available seat left in the classroom. For the first time ever, the Ancient Runes classroom was full of students, a majority of them being Slytherins, which surprised Hermione even more.

Taking a deep breath, she slid through between the desks and slammed her books down on the desk next to him, making him jump. He glanced up at her, and his glare immediately softened.

"I didn't know you had this class," he said, moving over so Hermione could sit in the connected seats. She slid in beside him, her hip touching his, and an electric spark ran through her body.

"I've always taken this class," she said matter-of-factly. "I didn't know _you_ had taken this class."

"My mother suggested it," Draco muttered, twirling his quill between his fingers. "I don't see the real point of it."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but closed it as Professor Babbling came through the back door.

"Morning," she mumbled, taking a seat at her desk and jumping slightly as she noticed the extra faces. Normally, there were only two or three students in her classroom – Hermione being one of them.

"Well, uh, I wasn't prepared for such a large group today," she said, straightening her robes. "I just had some text reading for schedule, so read the first four chapters of Advanced Rune Translation and take any key notes that you find may help you for the N.E.W.T.s."

The class moaned audibly, but opened their texts to the right pages almost simultaneously. Hermione propped the book open against the two other textbooks used for the class and rested her chin in her hands with her elbows on the desk, reading silently to herself with her quill ready into the ink bottle and a fresh roll of parchment laid out under her.

"Are you avoiding me on purpose?" Draco whispered, keeping his eyes down on the textbook. Hermione jumped slightly at his question and it took her a minute to realize that he had been talking to her.

"No, no I'm not. Why do you ask?" she whispered back, taking her quill and quickly scratching down a note at the top of the roll.

"It seems like every time we run into one another now, you try your best not to talk to me, look at me, or even acknowledge I am breathing the same air as you," Draco whispered, much softer to avoid the nearby ears of Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione frowned underneath her hair, which was curtained between her and Draco, as she continued scribbling down more notes. "I-I didn't know what to think of our… incident," she admitted.

Hermione heard Draco sigh softly to himself, then felt his hand on her elbow and his voice even closer now. "We'll talk about it later," he suggested, releasing her elbow and remaining quiet for the rest of the class.

When Ancient Runes was over, Hermione took extra time making sure every parchment roll she had written on was completely dry and rolled up correctly, the tops of the ink bottles were on securely, and her quill wouldn't leak in her bag before she exited. Being the last person in the class was exactly what Hermione had been hoping for, as to not face Draco and his goons in private.

On her way to the Great Hall for lunch, Hermione felt her stomach tightening suddenly and her eyes begin to water. She dodged into the nearest girl's bathroom and lurched herself into an empty stall, sitting on the toilet seat and letting the tears come at last. Once she began crying, she couldn't stop; the mixed emotions she had for the Slytherin Sex God were tearing away at not only her emotional stability, but her mind as well. She could barely concentrate in class, and had actually written gibberish in the first two lines of her notes from Ancient Runes today.

Tear after tear streamed down her face as she forced herself to choke back a sob as she heard someone coming in to wash their hands. Once that person had left, she sniffled, dabbed at her eyes with some toilet paper and walked out of the stall. She knew exactly how she felt for Draco Malfoy – she liked him. She couldn't deny it much longer. Whenever he was near her, butterflies built in her stomach, and she couldn't stop thinking about their almost kiss at the top of the stairs yesterday. And, by the looks of it, it seemed that Draco had become fond of Hermione as well.

Unfortunately, Hermione had no female friends to really confront about this. On hundreds of Muggle television shows her mother had watched, which she called her "soaps", she had seen the female star hurrying over to her best female friend to tell her all her details, and everything that was going on in her life. Harry and Ron were far from being females, let alone listening to her drone on about her emotions towards Draco Malfoy. Ginny had never been extremely close to Hermione, and she would feel awkward confront the sixth year who was dating her best friend – what if she told Harry? Luna Lovegood was again, a year younger than her, and they had lost their closeness last year after Ron had confessed his feelings for her then dumped her a few days later. Lavender Brown was basically the same as Luna.

It was times like these that Hermione wished she had a diary for herself, to empty her emotions into and something that only she could read.

The Great Hall was only half full, considering many of the students had already left to get good seats for the Quidditch game taking place right after lunch. Harry and Ron were sitting near the middle of the table, already dressed in their Quidditch robes and talking in hushed voices over their plates of sandwiches, crisps and pastries.

"Hermione!" Harry said as she walked over to them. "Where'd you run off to after Potions? Ron and I had to clean Neville's spill up all by ourselves. We were nearly passed out in exhaustion by the end of it."

"Mind you, we did get ten points each for doing so," Ron said with a grin, shoving a ham, cheese and crisps sandwich into his mouth.

"I didn't want to be late for Ancient Runes, that's all," Hermione said as she took a seat next to Harry and helped herself to a turkey sandwich along with a cauldron cake and a glass of pumpkin juice. "Are you two ready for the game today?"

"Just barely," Harry said as he waved over Hermione's shoulder as Ginny came in, also dressed in her Quidditch robes with her Cleansweep Eleven, the same broom Ron used, tucked under her arm.

"We're going to kick Slytherin butt," she exclaimed as she sat down next to Harry, kissing his cheek shyly.

Hermione ate her sandwich in silence as the other three mused about how the game would go after lunch. Glancing over at the Slytherin table, Hermione saw Draco come into the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle trailing after him, already in their Quidditch robes as well. They took their seats at the Slytherin table. Draco, feeling someone watching him, glanced up to see Hermione. He smiled faintly.

Hermione flushed and turned her head down to her food once more.

After lunch, Hermione walked with Harry, Ron and Ginny to the pitch, parting ways with them as they left for the change room to have a last minute meeting about the match. She twisted a red and gold striped scarf around her head as she climbed up the stairs to the stands, glancing around for an empty seat. Hagrid was sitting by himself in the back row, a pair of binoculars around his neck and a woollen cap pulled down over the top of his head, making his bushy black hair appear even bushier.

"'Ello, Hermione!" he said with a smile as she came to sit next to him.

"Hello Hagrid," Hermione said while smiling. It was hard not to smile around Hagrid. He meant well with everyone he spoke to, and though he was pretty much insane when it came to magical creatures, he was a treat to talk to.

"It's goin' to be a good match today, 'ermione. I can feel it," Hagrid said as he rubbed his hands together. He reached down under the stands and pulled out an enormous thermos, screwing off the cup cap and pouring steaming hot cocoa into it. "Would ye like some?"

"Oh, sure. Thank you." Hermione took the cup, which was the size of a large glass bowl, and sipped it slowly as she waited with the rest of the school for the teams to come out.

A few minutes later, the stands erupted into cheers as the Gryffindor team came strolling out with their broomsticks clamped tightly in one hand. After them, the Slytherin team came out, who were welcomed with a quarter of the cheers and three quarters of the boo's.

Madam Hooch stood in the centre of the pitch, where Harry and Draco met on either side of her. They shook hands and then Madam Hooch reminded them of the rules, as well as to keep it a fair game and respect one another. With a nod of agreement, the teams mounted their broomsticks as Hooch brought her whistle to her lips and then blew a blast, where the teams kicked off the pitch ground hard and soared into the hair.

"And the game begins!" Colin Creevey's frantic voice said over the sound system, replacing the previous announcer, Lee Jordan. "Ginny Weasley takes the Quaffle… heading over to the hoops, Miles Bletchley prepared to block it… but Weasley tricks him! The Quaffle made it through; ten points for Gryffindor!"  
The crowd erupted into cheers at this, but Hermione had barely noticed Ginny's goal as she kept her eyes on Harry and Draco. They were both hovering around one another, their eyes gazing around the pitch for any sudden flash of gold. Hermione noticed Draco glance at her once or twice – or five times – and her cheeks reddened at each little glance.

"Potter's spotted the Snitch!" Colin said suddenly.

Hermione saw Harry's blur zip around the pitch, and it took Draco a minute to realize what had just happened. He narrowed himself over the broom and soared towards Harry's direction as the two zigzagged between pillars, attempting to race one another for the Snitch. She dug her nails into the wood, silently hoping that both teams would win.

"Goyle's hit the Bludger towards Potter! Oh, nearly hit him. Malfoy's broom has been hit just a little bit by that Bludger now," Colin's voice squeaked to the crowd.

Hermione watched as Draco faltered a bit on his broomstick, glancing behind him to look over the damage. He mouthed a fuck you towards Goyle before zooming over towards Harry once more, nudging him with his shoulder as he attempted to get past.

"Vaisey has the Quaffle now… heading over to Ron Weasley at the posts… and Weasley makes an excellent save, Ron that is!"

Hermione watched as the two boys she had strong feelings for – but in completely different ways – both stretched out their hands to the golden ball, reaching and stretching out for it. Then, simultaneously, they stumbled over their brooms, sending them diving to the ground and tumbling on the pitch with soft thuds.

"Malfoy and Potter had both stumbled! But the real question is – did either of them catch the Snitch?"

Hermione was standing now, grasping the back of the seat in front of her to lean forward and get a better look. Then, proudly, Harry opened his hand and showed the little golden ball that was the Snitch flapping its tiny wings as it tried to escape his grasp.

"Potter's caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, and Hagrid and Hermione jumped up gleefully as they watched the Gryffindor team nosedive down to jump off their brooms and lift Harry onto their shoulders. But Hermione frowned as she saw Draco's expression, a mixture of shame, disappointment and anger, as he stared up at her in the stands. She frowned as well and hugged her arms, feeling immediately sorry for Draco.

Dinner time passed quickly, and the Gryffindor table had burst into multiple cheers of joy at their victory. Hermione sat quietly with Ron and Ginny on either side of her, but managed to throw in a few "hip-hip-hoorays" when she felt it was necessary. Once she had finished eating and her plate was clear, she glanced at the wizard watch Ron was wearing on his wrist; it read seven thirty. The meeting with the Prefects started at eight in the library.

"Congratulations again, you guys," Hermione said as she leaned over to hug first Harry, then Ron, then Ginny. "You guys were amazing out there tonight, with Ron's save, Hermione's goal and Harry's catch. But I have to go to the library, we're meeting up with the Prefects quickly to make sure everything's under control."

"We'll see you later for a game of wizard chess, 'Mione?" Harry asked, beaming up at her as people continued to pat him on the shoulder.

"Sure," she said with a smile. Collecting her book bag, she retreated upstairs towards the library for the second time in two days, no surprise for her though.

The library was virtually empty, with the exception of a random handful of younger students. Hermione decided to kill some time before the meeting by looking through some books for Potions and Ancient Runes.

Twenty minutes passed, and the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Prefects came in simultaneously, smiling up at Hermione as they saw her on the top of the ladder with a handful of books propped on one hand.

"Evening guys!" Hermione slid down the ladder and put the pile of books next to her with a smile. "Where's Slytherin?"

"They're coming. They're a bit slow is all," Colin said as he sank into the nearest arm chair. Hermione grabbed her books and sat them on the table by Colin, perching herself in another armchair.

Sure enough, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson strolled in ten minutes late, Draco following them with a frown on his face. Pansy sat in an armchair and Blaise rested on the arm of it, since the rest of the group was arranged this way with their fellow Prefect. Draco sat on the arm of Hermione's chair, and her body tensed at his closeness.

"This is pretty much just a routine check-up with the school so far," Hermione explained, resting on the edge of the chair. "Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Well, I did see Dean Thomas making out with Luna Lovegood in the fourth corridor yesterday. If you ask me, that's a little weird," Blaise said with a snort. Pansy squealed with laughter. Draco remained silent, his eyes sternly watching over the group.

"This is serious, Blaise," he snapped, his hands balling into fists on his knees. Hermione frowned at Draco's reaction.

"What if you have another Prefect out of bed when it's not their turn for duty?" Parvati asked curiously.

"Good question," Hermione said thoughtfully. "It depends on the scenario, and their reason for being out of bed. For the most part, it's accepted."

"Can we go?" Susan Bones said, her head falling onto Ernie's knee. "I'm tired."

"I suppose," Hermione said. The Prefects stood up with relieved smiles on their faces.

"Who is on duty tonight?" Draco asked. Padma Patil and Terry Boot raised their hands. "Make sure you keep a special watch over the second corridor, I hear some first years have been trying to sneak out through the secret passage behind the third suit of armour on your right."

The Prefects left the library and a few minutes later, Hermione got up from the silence that she and Draco had been sitting in to leave as well.

"I can't believe I didn't catch it," Draco said, making Hermione jump as she heard the voice behind her. They were standing at the top of the stairs by the Gryffindor common room, and Hermione turned to face Draco; his face was sorrow.

"There will be other matches," Hermione said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Draco took her hand and traced his finger over her inner palm, causing shivers to run up her arms. He looked up at Hermione silently, then slowly reached behind to grasp the back of her hair, pulling her to him as their lips met in a deep, slow kiss.

Hermione, shocked by the kiss, pulled away for a moment to gasp, her hands over her mouth. Then, she found her arms winding around Draco's neck and the kiss continuing. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as the two backed up in the corner of two pillars where no one could see them. He pressed Hermione against the wall gently, his hands slithering up from her hips to her neck and his hands cupping the back of her hair as he opened and closed his mouth, their tongues touching in unison. An audible moan escaped Hermione's lips as she pressed her body closer to his.

"I have been waiting so long for this," Draco said between kisses, his breathing ragged as he pulled Hermione so close, lifting her off the ground and cupping her thighs. She didn't respond, only tugged at the back of Draco's hair gently and deepened the kiss.

"I wanted to catch the Snitch for you," Draco gasped as Hermione managed to pull away after a while.

"Aren't you sweet," she stated in a husky murmur, and she pulled him back into the kiss. Neither one said a word as their kisses deepened and the moonlight shone on them from the open window across from them.


	4. Mudbloods

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** I changed my mind – the stories will not have update days. Why? Because I am actually really fond of writing three stories in particular, including this one. If anyone reading this is a fan of my other stories, I'll try my best to update them when I can. Quick warning for fans – on the 25th I will be going on a vacation for about a week, and therefore you'll have to wait a bit longer for an update. But hopefully you're all okay with that. I appreciate the reviews; it lets me know that everyone is enjoying the story so far. Fourth chapter up and ready! Be prepared for some mixed emotions this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Four:  
Mudbloods**

The next morning, Hermione was much cheerier than usual. On her way down to the Great Hall, she had a noticeable skip in her step and beamed at a group of first year Gryffindor girls who were talking in hushed, disappointed voices as they looked over their Potions notes. She even smiled at Pansy Parkinson as she began walking into the Great Hall, which Pansy responded to with a grimace and audible gagging noise.

Harry and Ron were already eating their breakfast as Hermione pushed open the doors of the Great Hall. They glanced up from their plates of eggs, sausage and toast to beam up at Hermione.

"Good morning!" she said as she took a seat across from them, helping herself to a pile of scrambled eggs, three sausages, and two pieces of toast which she mashed marmalade onto.

"You're in a good mood," Harry said as he wiped his mouth on a napkin.

Hermione smiled. "Just enjoying the good weather and the fact that it's the weekend, most importantly." She would never reveal to her two best friends that she and Draco Malfoy, their sworn enemy, had been wrapped in a completely blissful kissing session right outside of the portrait hole in which they slept.

A flood of owls came soaring in through the windows above, signalling that the post was arriving. Hedwig landed softly next to Harry's plate, her head immediately diving under her wing to clean herself as Harry began to untie the Daily Prophet that was tied to her leg. Hermione's tawny owl, Aphresia, landed gracefully next to her with a small hoot, a parcel wrapped around her feet. Carefully, Hermione began to untie it, scrounging through the pockets of her robes as she searched for money. She placed a single gold Galleon in the dragon hide satchel attached to her foot before the owl hooted happily and soared back out of the window to the owlery.

Pigwidgeon, Ron's tiny little owl, came huffing down from the window with a particular large parcel attached to his feet. This was nothing new for Pig, who was normally in charge of delivering ridiculously large parcels that he could barely lift. The owl flopped over with his feet still tucked under the strings, hooting softly in exhaustion.

"Sorry Pig," Ron muttered as he hurriedly untied the string and took off pieces of toast to feed him.

While Harry read through the Daily Prophet and Ron grimaced at the horrible greenish brown scarf that Mrs. Weasley had knitted for him, Hermione unwrapped her own present to see a delicious arrangement of various types of fudges. There was a note stuck to the inside of the box that said only one message:

_Lovely to snog you._

Hermione stifled back a giggle and peered over Ron's head to see the Slytherin table. Draco was nowhere in sight. She frowned a little, but looked down at the fudge again with a smile.

"Who's it from?" Ron asked curiously as he shoved his scarf aside.

Hermione hurriedly closed the box and tucked it into her book bag. "Just my parents, a good luck gift for my seventh year," she lied. The words came out so smoothly out of her tongue; she could barely believe that she had just lied to her two best friends. It almost nauseated her.

Harry smiled over the top of the newspaper at Hermione, and then glanced back down into it. "Lockhart's had a small bit written about him, care to read?"

Hermione almost tore the newspaper out of Harry's hand, and Ron leaned forward to read the article he had spoken about. Underneath a dated picture of Lockhart, still beaming and smiling as if his memory had not been swiped at all, held a few sentences discussing his stay at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

_LOCKHART'S IMPROVEMENT IMPROVING_

_After having a quick inspection of the former _Magical Me_ author, the Daily Prophet is happy to announce that Gilderoy Lockhart – well known for his seven books involving various encounters with dark creatures – is not far off from a full recovery._

_After being hit with a backfired Memory Charm, it was assumed that Lockhart would be a permanent resident of St. Mungo's for he was almost incurable. However, within the last year of his stay, Lockhart's memory has been coming back steadily and in great amounts. A Healer of the hospital announced that he was now fully aware that he had been a five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award, and that he had taught at Hogwarts as a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He is, however, fully unaware of the events that occurred during his stay._

_It is presumed that Lockhart should be fully recovered within the next four years, and released in five._

"That's just what we need," Ron said after leaning back in his seat. "Another idiot wizard running around. And I thought for sure he would be stuck in there for his entire life."

Hermione dully agreed. During the majority of her second year, she had fancied Gilderoy Lockhart because she thought he was brave, charming and a wonderful wizard. However, her attraction to him immediately disappeared as she learned the truth through Harry and Ron after their encounter with him in his office, and later in the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets during their second year.

Once finished eating, Harry and Ron debated on what they should do for their first day of the weekend – their first day off in the school year – while Hermione scrounged back through her book bag to find something to read. As she was scrounging, the sight of a light bouncing off shiny silvery blonde hair caught her attention in the corner of her eye, and she looked up.

Draco Malfoy had came in, looking smug in his Head Boy badge, with Crabbe and Goyle close behind him, their hands in tight fists and their arms crossed over their chests. They looked similar to his bodyguards. Hermione attempted to catch his gaze, but he never made eye contact as he held the same smirk on his face and took a seat next to Pansy to pile food onto his plate.

Frowning, Hermione drew her attention back to the depths of her book bag, feeling almost ashamed. Why had Draco not tried to catch her gaze? Had their kissing session last night not been as wonderful as she thought? It must have been – he sent her a box of fudge telling her so, didn't he? Was she overreacting to his nonchalant attitude?

"Hermione? Did you hear me?"

Snapping back into the present day, Hermione looked up from looking through her book bag to see that Ron was staring right at her.

"What was that?" she asked.

Ron made a face. "I asked if you'd like to come with us to go visit Hagrid. We've barely spoken to him so far this year."

"Oh, you go on without me. I was just going to go visit Professor Binns to see if he could look over my essay." Once again, she told a lie. What she really wanted to do was spend some alone time to herself in her dormitory, maybe catch some sleep. The Draco incident still drummed through her mind.

"Well, come down when you're done that," Harry said, a frown curving at the tips of his lips. Hermione could not say no to Harry, and they were right; they had barely spoken to Hagrid so far this year. It couldn't hurt.

"Alright, I'll meet you down there." She stood up and swung her book bag strap over her shoulder. "Save me a cup of tea, will you?"

Ron and Harry smiled simultaneously and nodded, grabbing a cauldron cake each as they headed out of the Great Hall.

Hermione made sure the strap of her book bag was securely over her shoulder before she made her way to the entrance doors of the Great Hall, looking down at her feet absent-mindedly and picking at her nails. She almost didn't realize that Draco and his goons were leaning against the wall outside of the Great Hall, until she heard Draco speak.

"Hey, Granger," he said with a grin plastered on his face. "Off to the library are we?"

Hermione stood there stunned for a moment, almost shining a smile towards him but stopping herself. "Uh – no, I was just going to see Professor Binns."

Draco snorted, and Crabbe and Goyle followed suit. "I should've known. Have to make sure your homework is exceeding expectations before handing it in, right Granger?" he said, his voice dripping with mocking.

Hermione's lip quivered, but she stopped herself. _What is he doing?_ "I should really be going," she said, turning before she could start crying.

"I know I'm beautiful, but there's no need to cry over it," Malfoy said, flipping the ends of his short hair over his ear and tilting his head to the sky. "Not everyone can look this good. Maybe you should take notes."

Anger welled up inside of Hermione. "I'd rather take notes on how to be beautiful from a three-headed horned toad," she snapped, spinning around to face him.

Malfoy looked shocked at her reaction, but quickly replaced it with a look of anger. "What do you know, you filthy little Mudblood?"

Hermione's heart froze and fell into her stomach with a thud. Those last four words were the most hurtful things that had ever come out of Draco Malfoy's mouth, and he had only said them once before in their second year. Tears welled in her eyes and she turned on her heel, lunging up the stairs as the tears streaked her cheeks. The last thing she remembered hearing was Crabbe and Goyle's chortling laughs before she was in front of the Fat Lady, howling the password and throwing herself on her bed as she reached the seventh year's girl dormitory.

The minute Hermione hit the bed, she was sobbing choked cries and soaking the golden pillow with her tears. Less than twelve hours ago, the same mouth that had just spat the words "you filthy little Mudblood" to Hermione had been gasping and pressing against her own. She couldn't understand why he had said it, and why he was acting the way he was. Had Malfoy been covering his usual disgusting, horrible self with fake admiration and charm for Hermione? Had it all been an act to attempt to get her to sleep with him?

The thought made her sick, and immediately, Hermione was running to the nearest trash can in the room and hurling her insides into it. When she lifted her head, wiping her mouth on the back of her hands, she felt only slightly better. The image of Malfoy's face inching closer and kissing her lurked in her head, followed by his lips mouthing Mudblood. She held the trash can close to her body, tears running down her face.

"I'm acting childish," she told herself out loud. "You knew it was too good to be true the minute Draco-fucking-Malfoy told you that you should be civil with one another this year. How thick are you, Hermione?"

Hermione stayed crouched in the position she was in by the side of her bed, holding the trash can and choking between sobs as she attempted to get thoughts of him out of her head. It was a wasted effort; she knew she had strong feelings for him. But now? After what he had just done?

"Fuck it," Hermione cursed angrily, shoving the trash can aside and standing up. "I will not let some disgusting, rotten Slytherin get to me after one snog fest." She took a deep breath and faced the mirror by the shared vanity. "I am Hermione Granger. Gryffindor. Head Girl. Top of the classes. Brave. Smart. I will not let him get to me."

And with the words still fresh in her mind, she made herself walk downstairs slowly, ignoring the curious glances of the second years who had witnessed her darting upstairs earlier, to go down to Hagrid's hut and meet Harry and Ron for a cup of tea. Just like they used to.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione waved goodbye to Hagrid as they stumbled out of the front door, laughing and slinging their arms around one another's shoulders. Hagrid beamed at them from his window, waving back.

Hermione smiled and let her head fall into Ron's shoulder, completely content at last. All thoughts of Draco Malfoy and his hateful scheme had been completely wiped from her thoughts as she joined Harry, Ron and Hagrid for a cup of tea. Now, she found herself sandwiched between the two boys she would always love the most, their arms slung over her shoulders, making their way back up the hill towards Hogwarts.

"You being Head Girl and having so many bloody classes has limited the amount of time we get to spend with you, 'Mione," Ron said with a sad sigh, taking small steps so his long legs would not overpower the other two up the hill. "Perhaps the trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow will allow us to really enjoy one another's company again; the Golden Trio, you know."

Hermione smiled. "Of course. I'll be spending the entire time with you two, don't you worry," she assured them, patting their shoulders. "I love you two, have I ever said that?"

"You haven't," Harry said with a laugh. "But we love you too, Hermione." She couldn't help but smile at his words.

As the three made it to the top of the hill, Hermione's stomach fell as she saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle huddled around a tree on the grounds, laughing and talking to each other in hushed voices. Hermione tried her best to avoid Malfoy's eyes, but when she peered at him out of the corner of her eye, she saw him staring back at him. His expression was a mixture of shame, anger and jealousy, and he forced himself to look away from her as he pretended to listen to whatever Goyle was telling him. Her stomach grew horrible butterflies again, and she swallowed hard to try and force them to go away.

"We've missed lunch by a couple of hours," Ron said as he frowned down at his wizard watch. "Fuck, I was hungry as well."

Harry grinned and glanced down at Hermione, noticing something was wrong by the expression she wore. "Is everything okay?" he asked suddenly.

Hermione jumped, being brought back from the distractions her mind had caused her. She smiled up at Harry, a forced smile on her behalf. "Yes, I'm fine. Really."

Harry gave her a weary look and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly as the three, still sandwiched with their arms around each other, walked through the corridors with little on their minds. Well, except for Hermione.

After dinner that night, Hermione told the boys how sorry she was about having to patrol the hallways. It was her turn that night, along with Malfoy. However, she knew she would make sure she did not cross paths with him, no matter where they happened to be. So, at nine-thirty, Hermione climbed out of bed after her peaceful thirty minute snooze, pinned her Head Girl's badge to her robes, slipped her feet in her shoes and hurried downstairs with her wand out at her hip.

The hallways of the castle were cool at night time particularly, and Hermione found herself hugging her robes closer to her body as she began the patrol. The corridors were also incredibly dark, making it hard to see.

"Lumos Maxima," she muttered, and a blast of strong light burst out of the tip of her wand. She held it up high so she had a clearer view of her surroundings, and started off around the seventh floor, where Gryffindor Tower was. Her heart thudded loudly as she noticed the two pillars where she and Malfoy had shared their hot, passion kiss just last night, and it hurt her to think about it once more. She quickly turned away from that spot and circled the floor. With no sign of a student, she retreated down the stairs to the sixth floor.

As Hermione began peering into the open door of the Ancient Runes classroom, she heard a noise behind. Spinning on her heel, she lifted her wand higher above her head to see more of the corridors surrounding her. There were only two rooms on the sixth floor; the Ancient Runes classroom and the boy's lavatory, so there wouldn't be many students on this floor to begin with.

"Who's there?" Hermione snapped in the darkness. "Let me remind you that this is the Head Girl who you are trying to sneak past." She lowered her wand to look along the ground as well, for any signs of someone crawling past her perhaps.

Footsteps began to retreat down to the fifth floor, and Hermione darted towards the stairs to follow whoever it was. She shone her light at the archway to the fifth floor, only to see white blonde hair glittering in the light of her wand.

"Oh, it's you," she muttered as Draco Malfoy turned to face her, his wand only lit up with_ Lumos_, weaker when compared to the charm Hermione had used on hers. He was wearing his pyjamas, dark green plaid bottoms with a light grey T-shirt and his Head Boy badge stamped on the robes he wore over them.

"Calm down," he said, his face not sure what expression it should take form of.

Hermione immediately turned to enter the fifth floor through the opposite archway, trying her best to not make eye contact with him as tears pricked at her eyes again. Just looking at him reminded her of all those mixed emotions she felt, and she wasn't sure exactly how she felt about him anymore.

"Any students out so far?" he asked from behind her. He was attempting small talk, Hermione noticed – but why? Only hours ago he had been laughing and sneering at her, being the typical Malfoy she had known since first year.

"Does it look like I've caught anyone so far?" Hermione snapped, holding her light down a corridor off the main hall of the fifth floor.

Malfoy completely ignored the anger in her tone, or so Hermione assumed, as he continued on. "I've already checked everywhere from the dungeons to the fourth floor. I'm assuming you did the same from the seventh to the sixth."

Hermione didn't answer. She stuck her hand out lengthwise to stop Malfoy from moving as they heard a toilet flush from the Prefect's bathroom. Curiously, Hermione walked over and pushed open the door to see which Prefect was out of bed. But it wasn't a Prefect who stared back at her, wide eyed and scared.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, peering down at the first year who was staring back at her. She looked much younger than her age, with her blonde hair wound in pigtails and clad completely in pink. She stared up at them, her blue eyes wide in fear.

"Diantha Cauldric," she squeaked.

"Diantha, did you know this is the Prefects bathroom and that you being caught out at night will cost your house ten points?" Malfoy asked, sounding much calmer than he had when he was speaking to Hermione earlier.

"I-I didn't know it was the Prefects bathroom," she stuttered, hugging herself. "But I-I really had t-to go!"

Hermione sighed sympathetically. "Ten points for being out at night, from…" She paused to look over the girl for any sign of her house. She then realized she was holding a stuffed badger, with yellow and black checkered robes. "Hufflepuff."

"And an extra five for using the Prefect's bathroom," Malfoy said, taking the girl's shoulder under his hand. "Let's get you back to your common room."

The Hufflepuff common room was below ground floor, just above the dungeons that held the Potions classroom and Malfoy's own common room. They stopped in front of the still-life painting that acted as the entrance way.

"You know your password?" Hermione whispered. Diantha nodded.

"Alright then, go directly to bed." Hermione and Malfoy walked around the corner, peering over to make sure the girl had said her password and retreated into the painting. She had.

"Well, I suppose we should be getting to bed," Hermione said, still forgoing the eye contact with Malfoy. It was when his hand touched her shoulder that she finally turned to look up at him. His face was worrisome and his eyes were searching hers, as if he had something important to tell her.

"I…" He paused, picking his words carefully in his brain. "What I said earlier…"

"What did you say that you could be trying to apologize for, Malfoy?" Hermione said, sarcasm dripping in her voice. "Oh, that's right. The Mudblood comment. Well you know what Malfoy? You are just a heartless, soulless, arrogant Slytherin who will never have feelings for anyone but himself. You are a ferret, just like the one you turned into, and you will never love anyone because you are only capable of loving yourself." Hermione's words came out in loud, rushed sentences, but she felt it was time to tell him exactly how she thought of him after the event earlier. "You play with other's emotions, and I would be perfectly happy if I never spoke to you again. I was a fool to think you had somehow changed, but I should've known. You will always been the horrible human being you are. I hate you, Draco Malfoy. Don't you ever talk to me again. Ever."

Hermione turned on her heel, leaving a stunned look on Malfoy's face as she retreated up the stairs as fast but as calmly as she could. Her heart was thudding loudly in her chest and her throat was sore from screaming the words at him. She was sure she had woken someone up from their confrontation, but she could care less. More than anything she wanted to crawl in bed and cry without anyone bothering her for hours. Glancing at the clock on the wall in front of her, she saw it was two in the morning. She would have to be awake in five and a half hours.

With her heart still beating madly in her chest, Hermione lifted her wand above her head and made a beeline for the Gryffindor Tower, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. The seventh floor seemed so far away, even as she rounded a corner and began to climb the stairs up to the sixth floor steadily. She ignored the smile that Sir Nicholas gave her, but accidentally walked straight through him. It was like walking through a sudden cool, misty breeze and she coughed a little.

Finally reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hermione cursed herself for a moment for not apologizing to Sir Nicholas when he had done nothing wrong.

"Password?" the Fat Lady said groggily, her eyes remaining closed and a large yawn escaping her lips.

"Mimsy," Hermione sighed, and the Fat Lady swung forward to let her climb through. Two sixth years were curled up on the couch in the common room, gazing into one another's eyes.

An audible growl escaped Hermione's lips, making the sixth years jump as they watched her retreating up to the seventh year's dormitory. She flung open the door, not caring whether or not she had woken someone up in the process of doing so, and fell onto her bed.

Hermione tossed and turned for two hours that night before finally falling asleep.


	5. The Slytherin Sex God

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** I would just like to take a moment here, before advancing onto the fifth chapter of the story, to tell you – the fans – how much I appreciate your opinions on the stories I write. I read each review and really think through ideas that are given to me, and consider using them for upcoming chapters. For example, this chapter will take place in Draco Malfoy's POV, as suggested by **IGOTEAMEDWARD**, and I will have random chapters from here on that will be in Draco's POV, to give you a different approach on their growing relationship. Those words being said enjoy the fifth chapter; and keep the opinions coming. I think those of you who acted so coldly against Draco's behaviour in the last chapter will have a change of heart in this one.

* * *

**Chapter Five:  
The Slytherin Sex God  
**

As usual, Draco Malfoy did not awake to the sound of birds chirping outside his window, or the bright sunshine pouring into the boys' dormitory. Instead, he opened his eyes to see the cold, grey stone walls draped with green sheets that always welcomed him in the morning. This was usually how he would wake up – no birds, no sunshine. It was pretty much a packaged deal for being sorted into the Slytherin house, and a down within the dungeons of Hogwarts.

Draco moaned audibly and rolled over, regretting – for his first time as a Slytherin – not seeing the sunlight the minute he woke up. On one side of his bed was Blaise Zabini, who was snoring so loudly that Draco had to pull his silky silver pillows over his ears to muffle the sound. On the other side, his loyal friends, Crabbe and Goyle, were snoring equally loud as Blaise.

"God damn it," Draco muttered, throwing his covers back and crawling out of the four-poster bed. All of the seventh year boys were still sleeping surrounding him; Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle – as he had already mentioned – along with Theodore Nott. Sliding his feet into his shoes and draping his robes around his shoulders, Draco tiptoed out of the dormitory, attempting to keep Crabbe and Goyle asleep so he could have some privacy for a while.

The Slytherin common room was completely empty, surprising for seven-thirty in the morning. The green-flamed fireplace crackled quietly in the corner of the room, and the green lamps swayed in an imaginary breeze. Draco could feel the dampness of the lake above them, and wrapped his robe tightly around his body, making his way to the wall that was framed with green silky cloths, forming what appeared to be a doorframe in the wall. Pushing his body weight against the wall, it shifted forward and slid aside to reveal the dungeons of Hogwarts.

Draco silently climbed out and climbed up the stairs, deciding to get a head start on breakfast before everyone else arrived. Normally, everyone was in the Great Hall by eight, and fully changed so they could spend an hour with their friends or reviewing homework before heading to their first class at nine. Draco, however, was up at seven-thirty, still clad in his green and silver pyjamas, and goon-less.

Only a few students were wandering the entrance hall when his foot finally hit the last step, where he arrived on ground level. He recognized the Weasley girl that Harry Potter was dating as she yawned widely and walked into the open doors of the Great Hall. Thinking of Harry Potter reminded Draco of the incident that had occurred last night, in the very dungeons where his common room was located, between him and Hermione Granger.

He cursed under his breath at himself for the way he acted. Not only that, but he had gotten so carried away with covering up his mild affections for Hermione that he had called her a Mudblood; the very word that had started the immense hatred she held for him since second year. He could have kicked himself, if it didn't look so ridiculous to the students who were wandering into the Great Hall.

_Why do I always do that_, he asked himself. _I always have to cover things up with being a heartless idiot, to keep my status high so Crabbe and Goyle don't run off and find another Slytherin to lurk. This time, I went a little too far. Malfoy, you idiot!_

Obviously, Draco had been so deeply involved in his own thoughts that his face had shown the expressions of his anger, and a first year girl from Ravenclaw squeaked fearfully as she dove behind her group of friends as they wandered up the marble staircase leading to the first floor.

Draco muttered silently to himself as he shuffled his feet into the Great Hall. As he had suspected, very few students were already eating; perhaps fifteen in total. He saw Ginny Weasley giggling and talking quietly to Neville Longbottom, who's Remembral was smoking red in his hand. He ignored them and sank into the bench of the Slytherin table, where only two Slytherins – Malcolm Baddock and Mafalda, both fifth years – were sitting and eating, and not together.

As Draco began piling on spoonfuls of scrambled eggs, his thoughts wandered back to last night, and the words Hermione had said still stung his brain and made his stomach droop slightly.

"_What did you say that you could be trying to apologize for, Malfoy? Oh, that's right. The Mudblood comment. Well you know what Malfoy? You are just a heartless, soulless, arrogant Slytherin who will never have feelings for anyone but himself. You are a ferret, just like the one you turned into, and you will never love anyone because you are only capable of loving yourself. You play with other's emotions, and I would be perfectly happy if I never spoke to you again. I was a fool to think you had somehow changed, but I should've known. You will always been the horrible human being you are. I hate you, Draco Malfoy. Don't you ever talk to me again. Ever."_

Draco remembered clearly that after her words, he had gritted his teeth angrily and almost marched off after her, but refrained from it. The feelings he had for her were absolutely ridiculous. One minute, he stomach would be flip-flopping at the sight of her and he would do anything he could to strike up a conversation with her. The next minute, he would be snapping insults at her and chortling with his friends about the horrible, hurtful joke he had made. Why couldn't he make up his mind? The old Draco Malfoy lingered in his soul, and it disgusted him. His father, Lucius, had told him ever since he could talk to never trust Muggle-borns, or anyone who did not have a drop of pure wizard blood in them. He hated his father, _loathed_ him, but he still couldn't shake the prejudice that he had built into Draco's system since he was a toddler.

While shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth, Draco chewed slowly and thought over the words his father had told him many times before that had haunted him and caused him to act the way he did to Hermione Granger.

"Now Draco," he remembered his father saying many years ago. "If you do ever happen to come across a horrible, filthy Mudblood in Hogwarts, don't you dare think for a minute to act friendly to them. I want you to bring them down to the lowest low. It doesn't matter who may hate you after that, it is only important to share the friendship with pure-bloods; they are the only humane thing in the wizarding world."

Just the thought of the words angered Draco, and he clenched his fork with white knuckle. He hated him. He was happier than ever now that the horrible human who he had called 'Father' was now locked up in Azkaban forever. His mother was a wreck, unfortunately, and going insane almost to the point where she would have to be sent to St. Mungo's. That was not his fault, though. His father had forced not only the prejudice words on him, but the idea that being a follower of Lord Voldemort was a positive thing. Luckily, he would never have to follow in his father's footsteps again; he would never have to be a Death Eater. Voldemort had been destroyed – by Potter, at that – and every Death Eater had been locked away. He was free, his mind was free.

While Draco had been chewing, deep in thought, more and more students had wandered into the Great Hall. Crabbe and Goyle came in, yawning widely and stretching their thick, hairy arms over their heads. They spotted Draco and made a beeline for him.

"Morning," Crabbe grunted, sinking into the bench beside Draco. He could feel the wood creak and sink underneath him.

"Good grub," Goyle boomed in his deep voice, grabbed handfuls of everything and stuffing them either into his mouth or onto his plate.

Mildly disgusted, Draco gave a curt nod to each of them and continued watching the students that were filing into the Great Hall, trying to spot one in particular. When he saw the bright red head of Ron Weasley coming in, his heart sped up – Hermione had to be with him.

After Ron came Harry, who was laughing and talking happily to whoever was behind him. And, sure enough, Hermione strolled in, looking pleasantly chipper. Her hair was silky, though still wild, but had filled out in the right places and was no longer a triangle of bushy hair. Draco closed his eyes, remembering how soft it had felt in his hands the night they had finally kissed, and how it smelled so sweet. He sighed in thought.

"Wha's'up, Malfoy?" Crabbe asked, his mouth full of bacon and toast.

Draco blinked and widened his eyes, turning to face the brute. "Nothing, shut up and eat," he hissed. Crabbe swallowed, looking terrified – despite the fact that Crabbe was twice the size of Draco in height, weight and width – and turned to face Goyle, quietly eating and talking to one another.

Draco turned his attention back towards the three friends, who sat themselves with Ginny and Neville. He watched as Harry slung his arm around Ginny's shoulders and bent to give her a kiss, while Ron and Hermione sat opposite him, facing in the direction of Draco. Not once did Hermione look up to make eye contact with him the entire time he watched her, and his heart sank.

Ron noticed Draco staring at them, and he whispered something in Hermione's ear. She looked up, peering over Neville's bent head to look directly into Draco's eyes. His heart sped up, thudding madly against his ribcage. But it sank once more as her eyebrows drew together and she looked away, muttering something in response to Ron.

"Hogsmeade today, Malfoy," Goyle bellowed, gnawing on a chicken leg.

"I know that, Goyle. Do you take me for an idiot?" Draco spat, completely in a bad mood now that he knew for sure Hermione wasn't talking to him. "I'm Head Boy, after all. I found out before you two even did."

Crabbe and Goyle wore shared expressions of hurt as they went back to talking with one another, completely shutting Draco out. He didn't mind, oh no. After all, he did sneak out this morning primarily so Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't follow him all the way up to the Great Hall.

"I'm done eating," Draco muttered to the two goons, who glanced up to see what he had said. "I'm going to get dressed."

Crabbe turned to him finally. "We'll meet with you at the doors for the trip?" he suggested as Draco was standing up.

Draco thought for a moment, then nodded solemnly and walked out of the Great Hall. He glanced quickly behind him before leaving to get dressed to see if Hermione had been watching him leave at all, but she hadn't; she was laughing hysterically as Ron and Neville, who were sucking on Fizzing Whizbees, began to tackle one another in a play fight while levitating several inches off the ground.

Sulking, Draco turned his back to the Great Hall doors and retreated down to the dungeons with thoughts of Hermione lingering in his mind.

* * *

"Any last minute signed permission forms must be handed to me now," Professor McGonagall was saying as she stood a few feet in front of Argus Filch, collecting papers as the students moved forward to wait in line and ensure they had been ticked off the list to visit Hogsmeade.

Although Draco would never admit it to anyone, he, Crabbe, Goyle, and what appeared to be Hermione and her friends were the only few seventh years that actually enjoyed going to Hogsmeade still. Many of the other sixth and seventh years had lost their appeal of it and stopped visiting during their fifth year, but visiting Hogsmeade was something Draco secretly enjoyed every October.

"Malfoy, Draco," Filch said in his wheezy voice as he scanned the list, ticking off his name with a rather worn-looking feather quill. "Go ahead."

Crabbe and Goyle stood on either side of Draco from behind as Filch checked off their names as well, chortling something about how ridiculous Potter's hair looked on this particular day. Draco tuned them out and threw the green scarf he held in his hands over his neck so it hung lazily from his shoulders, staring at the back of the head in front of him as his mind still focused around Hermione. He had to prove that he was no longer the same Malfoy that had taunted her for the past six years. Hadn't their conversation in the library days prior proved his point? His father was locked up, he was slowly changing.

_That's what you get for letting your father come out in you yesterday_, his mind muttered to him.

"Oh, shut up," Draco snapped out loud to himself, causing both Crabbe and Goyle to look alarmed.

"Excuse me," Hermione's voice said behind him, causing him to snap his head around. Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing directly behind Crabbe and Goyle. Draco immediately melted at the sight of her, dressed in a plum-coloured coat and a gold and red striped scarf also slung lazily around her neck.

"You're lucky for once, Harry," Draco heard Ron mutter once he turned his attention back to the back of the head in front of him. "Dean was particularly gifted at jotting down Vernon's signature."

"It's amazing that all I owe him is a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a couple packets of Pepper Imps for that," Harry replied in hushed voices so they wouldn't be heard by McGonagall or Filch.

"Honestly you two, keep your voices down. Do you want us to be removed from the trip altogether?" Hermione hissed. Draco couldn't help but grin; the bossiness in her voice was a slight turn on.

When the main doors of the school finally opened, the students hurried down to catch up with Filch, who was guiding them through the brisk, cold breeze towards the carriages and Thestrals that were awaiting them at the bottom.

"Move aside," Crabbe and Goyle muttered to the group of third years in front of them, making a path down between them to get to the front of the line. While the two goons sniggered at their plan and hurried him along, Draco looked apologetic at some of the third years who were glaring at them. It was unlike him to act so kind-hearted to anyone below him, but he felt he had to in this situation.

_Perhaps my father's ways are finally rubbing off me_, he thought to himself. His heart leapt excitedly at the thought.

Climbing into the first carriage they saw, Crabbe and Goyle squished into one side to leave Draco the other side of the carriage all to himself, as they had usually done in the years before when they visited Hogsmeade. Draco didn't say a word as he sank into the plush seats of the carriage and stared out the window, watching a few flakes of snow begin to fall on the windows.

"Wha's'on your mind, Malfoy?" Goyle asked curiously, his pinkie finger wedged into his ear.

Draco faltered for a moment, but picked himself up immediately. "Just thinking about what I'm going to buy with all of Lucius' money," he said. He hated to even call him 'Father' like he had done in the past, and refused to address him as a blood relative in any way. Crabbe and Goyle seemed pleased with his response and chortled to themselves.

After the quick carriage ride to Hogsmeade, the three climbed out of the carriages at the same time that Hermione's carriage door had opened. Draco hadn't been paying attention to where he was going, and had accidentally walked directly into Hermione, causing her to stumble slightly.

"Oh!" Draco reached out a hand to put it on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't…"

But he paused when he saw the expression on Hermione's face – pure hatred and loathing, the same expression he had worn when he saw his father finally being taken away to Azkaban.

Hermione shrugged back her shoulder violently, casting a dark look at Draco that showed him how much she hated him, and spun on her heel as she waited for Harry, Ron and Ginny to climb out of the carriage they had shared.

Draco dropped his hand helplessly as Ron turned to face him, looking him up and down.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked with one eyebrow raised.

Draco dusted off his slacks and crossed his arms over his chest, opening his mouth to speak as Crabbe and Goyle came sauntering up behind him. But he looked at the back of Hermione's head and closed his mouth.

"Nothing," he murmured, and walked away with a confused looking Crabbe and Goyle close at his heels.

It was already snowing in Hogsmeade by the time they arrived, but not heavily at all. The tops of the stores were only dusted lightly with a fine coat of snow and footprints were seen on the thin layer that lay on the cobblestone road. Gazing up dreamily at Honeydukes, Draco paused in front of the door with his hand outstretched for the handle and turned to face Crabbe and Goyle.

"Why don't you two run off to wherever you want to go for now?" he suggested. "We can meet back whenever."

With stunned expressions on their faces, Crabbe and Goyle obeyed Draco as if he had shocked them with electric collars and told them to piss off, turning to leave as Draco pulled open the door to Honeydukes.

The walls were crammed to the ceilings with brightly decorated sweets and yummy goodies. A bucket of Acid Pops sat to the right of Draco, and a bin full of Fizzing Whizbees welcomed him on the left. He barely glanced at both as he made his way to the back of the shop for one of his guilty pleasure treats – Peppermint toad creams. He immediately grabbed ten boxes of two and shoved them into the brown paper bag customers grabbed at the front of the store to collect their treats in. His mouth watered at the anticipation of eating one, and he could already feel the enchanted treats hopping around in his stomach.

While in Honeydukes, Draco also picked up a variety of other sweets – a few large slabs of nougat, some Sugar Quills, a couple of packets of Pepper Imps, a box of Bertie Bott's, a handful of Chocoballs and even some Spindel's Lick'O'Rish Spiders. Happy with his purchases, he zipped to stand in line near the front of the store and waited somewhat patiently as a third year in front of him began counting on their change clumsily.

The door of the shop jingled merrily to show someone was coming in, and Draco did a sideway glance curiously to see that Ron and Hermione had entered, immediately grabbing a few Acid Pops and Fizzing Whizbees on either side of them. They were laughing happily at one another and looking around the store blissfully. The ache in Draco's heart was almost too much to take.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you coming to pay for those?" Ambrosius Flume, the man who owned Honeydukes, asked suddenly. Draco jumped as he realized the third year had finally scurried away, and he was next in line.

"Sorry," Draco muttered, placing the bag on the counter. While Ambrosius sorted through the contents, Draco kept shooting sideways glances at Ron and Hermione, who were now nibbling on samples of a new fudge flavour and licking their lips at the taste.

"Three Galleons, six Sickles," Ambrosius said finally. Draco dug through his change bag and took out the appropriate coins before slipping out of the line and making a beeline for the front door without being seen by Ron or Hermione.

"Malfoy, where are your goons?" Ron shouted from across the shop. Draco saw Hermione's head shoot up and a frown form on her lips immediately.

"Three Broomsticks," Draco lied, spitting out the first shop that came to mind.

"You're very gullible without them, aren't you?" Ron said with a grin, popping another sample of fudge into his mouth. "Not so badass, are you Malfoy?"

Draco didn't say a word, shuffling out of the shop quickly before he could snap an insult back to Weasley about his poor family; the last thing he needed was for Hermione to despise him even more.

While Draco sauntered down the road, barely glancing up at any of the shops as he made his way to the Three Broomsticks, he felt his heart begin to beat madly against his chest again. Somehow, he knew he had to tell Hermione that what had happened the other day had not really been him – but how? She would refuse to talk to him, even though they shared important duties with the school, and there was no way she would let her guard down easily for him to talk to her at all.

As Draco pushed open the door to the Three Broomsticks, he was greeted with a warm waft of air, along with a bit of pipe smoke. Coughing that back, he made his way to sit by the bar top of the pub, and ordered a Butterbeer for himself.

Once the warm drink came sliding down and into Draco's hand, he glanced around the pub. Crabbe and Goyle were, to his surprise, there and talking to two girls from Slytherin that he had never tried to score a date with. Ginny Weasley was curled into Harry's arm in the corner, both of them sharing an armchair and sipping on their own Butterbeers. Draco shrugged to himself and took a long sip, the warmth filling his belly immediately.

The door pushed open, and Draco sulked in his seat to see Hermione and Ron walk in, arms around one another and laughing as they held up two enormous paper bags bulging with sweets. Draco forced himself to make eye contact with Hermione, who stared back at him, unsure of what to think.

"Two Butterbeers!" Ron exclaimed as he slapped four Sickles on the bar top, beaming at Madam Rosmerta. He then noticed Draco right by his elbow and snorted. "You again? Why aren't you sitting in the back with Dumb and Dumber?"

Draco ignored the comment and peered deep into his mug, ignoring Hermione's eyes burning into his back.

When two mugs of the frothy sweet liquid were set on the counter, Ron raised his mug to Madam Rosmerta and zigzagged through the pub to meet Harry and Ginny in the back. Hermione however lingered; it took Draco a minute to realize she was still standing there before he turned to look at her.

"I…" she stopped, biting her lip and muttering over what to say next. She reached for her mug and held it in her hands, rotating it absent-mindedly. "I haven't forgiven you."

Draco's mouth twitched and he turned to face her, his heart thudding hard in his chest. "I don't blame you," he said numbly.

Hermione's eyes flicked over his shoulders, and he assumed she was checking to make sure Ron and Harry weren't watching her. She turned to face him again. "I just… I don't understand. One minute, we are all over one another, and the next you are saying the exact words that made me want to kill you years ago."

Unsure of how to respond, Draco took a minute to take an enormous swig of Butterbeer. He finally took a deep breath. "Do you remember our conversation from the library?" he asked slowly. Hermione nodded, and he continued. "I can't help it sometimes, Hermione," he said finally, staring down in his mug as nerves suddenly flooded. "I'll be honest and say I have no idea how I feel about you, because I don't. I know that I feel a sort of… attraction to you, and something is definitely there between us. But I've never dealt with this feeling before; you have to forgive me there." He looked up to see if she was paying attention, and she was staring deep into his eyes with a sympathetic look.

"My father was a horrible man," he continued, ignoring the goggling eyes of the scariest looking witch he had ever seen right over his shoulder. "He forced his own beliefs into me, and sometimes things just slip out of my mouth without my control. When I called you a Mu-" he stopped himself, biting the inside of his lip. "That word, I didn't mean it. You should believe me when I say that."

Hermione shook her head. "But you still said it. And I don't know if I can overlook that," she replied honestly, pointing to her Head Girl badge. At first, Draco was confused at this reaction, but he realized she must be acting as if they were discussing something involving their duties in case Harry and Ron were watching her. "The minute you said that, all those angry feelings I had for you before flooded back inside of me. I don't know how I feel about you either, but I know that my mind was set the minute those words escaped your lips." Draco noticed tears welling in her eyes as she said the last few words. "Please, don't talk to me."

She strode past him briskly, wiping her eyes on the back of her robes sleeve furiously. Draco turned in his seat to watch her sit down with Harry and Ron, putting on a fake face of cheeriness, and he felt his whole body go rigged once more.

_You are not giving up that easily_, he thought to himself, his hands clutching the mug tighter than before. _There is something about her that makes you weak in the knees, and you will do whatever it takes to make sure those emotions are not just random. You will make Hermione forgive you, no matter what actions must be made._

"Everyone here?" Filch snarled.

The sun was setting over the tops of the shop roofs in Hogsmeade, and the snow had stopped falling completely. The freezing weather made Draco's body shake as he climbed into the carriage before Crabbe and Goyle, who shoved their thick bodies into the seat across from him once again.

The short trip back up to Hogwarts was completely silent, and Draco ignored the curious glances of Crabbe and Goyle as he hurried out of the carriage and towards the main doors, already in desperate need for warmth and the Halloween feast. He could feel the presence of students lining up behind him, and was relieved as Filch's hand reach across him from behind to push open the doors.

A warm gust of wind hit Draco directly in the face and he sighed inwardly while shrugging off his scarf and jacket, and walking directly towards the Great Hall. Everyone else had already taken their seats without the students who had left for Hogsmeade for the day, and Draco was even pleased to slide into a seat beside Pansy Parkinson. No matter how many times he had told her their relationship would not progress from the quick shag they had shared in the broom closet last year, Pansy continued to latch onto Draco and swarm him with compliments.

"There's the Slytherin Sex God," Pansy cooed as she draped her arms around his body. "How was Hogsmeade, Drakey?"

"Get off, pug," Draco muttered, shrugging Pansy's tangling arms off his body. She looked disgusted at him and threw herself back onto the bench, while Draco sat there with a grin. It was about time someone told her how much she resembled a pug dog.

Diving quickly into the feast, which included ham, roast turkey and chicken, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn cobs, pumpkin pastries, cauldron cakes, green beans, steak and kidney pies, meat pies, mutton, haggis, and a million other types of food, Draco was completely satisfied for once. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere near him and not bothering him, Pansy had stopped draping her body around him, and…

He frowned while chewing on a hunk of turkey, thinking back to Hermione's conversation in the Three Broomsticks. His evening was now completely planned out for him. He would not go pranking first years with Crabbe and Goyle, like they had every year before. He would shut himself in the Slytherin common room, alone – since everyone else would be celebrating Halloween in the school – and would devise a plan for himself to win over Hermione's love for him once and for all.

_Love?_ He almost choked on his food at the though. _Did I just say love? I meant… oh hell. I don't love her!_ He nodded furiously to himself. It was true, he didn't love Hermione.

But he was pretty damn close to doing so.

* * *


	6. The Letter from Home

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** Draco's POV is much different than Hermione's, no? But there's still that similarity between them that we all love and makes them so ken on being with one another. The big question you're all wondering is – will they kiss and make up? We'll see! By the way, this chapter has a sudden jump to Draco's POV rather than Hermione's, so don't get confused by all that.

* * *

**Chapter Six:  
****The Letter from Home  
**

"You've gone off your rocker this time, Harry."

"I have not! My knight was there, I swear…"

"If your knight was there, then I'll marry Moaning Myrtle right in her cubicle!"

"Leave her alone!"

"CRUSH ON MYRTLE NOW, EH?"

Hermione slammed her book shut and stared over at her two friends, who were now rolling around on the grass. It was mid-afternoon on a bright Wednesday day, and Hermione had suggested spending some time outside to sit underneath her favourite tree. Although it was early November, the days were very warm and the most anyone would have to wear outside would be a thin jacket and scarf. Harry and Ron had carried out the wizard chess board and begun playing on it, but not soon after had they leapt into an argument about cheating.

"Would you two shut up already?" she snapped, leaning over and prying the two apart. Ron was breathing heavily and had gone bright red in the face, while Harry's glasses were askew.

"At least I'm not going to marry Myrtle," Harry muttered quietly.

"WANT TO GO AGAIN, POTTER?"

"BRING IT ON, WEASLEY!"

"Enough! Both of you!" Hermione grabbed their shoulders and flung them down on either side of them, exasperated. "Honestly, you two have been bickering like an old married witch and wizard since yesterday. What has gotten into you?"

Ron shook his head. "I've been having trouble sleeping, there's just too much school work to do. I mean, I knew seventh year would be difficult – but come on! Four parchment essays? It's ridiculous!" Harry spoke at the exact same time as Ron, making it difficult to hear either one of them.

"Ginny and I –"

"Four parchments! –"

"– constantly fighting now –"

"– teachers have gone mad, I tell you –"

"Okay, okay." Hermione shook her head and rubbed at her temples. "Ron, if you need help, you can just ask me for it. And Harry." She changed her exhausted expression to one of sympathy. "Give Ginny some room for a while, then tell her how you feel and I'm sure you two will be fine."

Both friends seemed satisfied at Hermione's answers and turned back to their chess board, lying on their stomachs as they began to play another round.

Relieved, Hermione leaned back against the tree's trunk one more and sighed, propping open her book against her thighs. For once in her life, she finally felt at ease with everything going on; she was top of her classes still, getting much recognition for her excellent work as Head Girl, and had not spoken to Draco Malfoy for four solid days. They had had a meeting with the Prefects the night before, and he had neglected eye contact with her. She was pleased to see that he had chosen to listen to her when she told him never to speak with her again, but there was still something bothering her and she had no idea what it was. Perhaps it was the fact that she still had no idea where her feelings for him stood, despite what she had told him in the Three Broomsticks four days ago.

Hermione looked over the contents of her book, but her eyes were not reading the pages. She was staring at center of the book, her mind drifting to thoughts of Draco for the first time since their meeting in Hogsmeade. At the time, he sounded very honest and sympathetic towards what he was saying – could he really not control the things he said? And even if Hermione did begin to build a relationship with him, would that mean that things would remain that way? Would he suddenly have outbursts, calling her a Mudblood and telling her the same thing he had told her four days ago?

All of these thoughts rushed through her brain almost simultaneously, making Hermione feel very dizzy all of the sudden. She shook her head and cleared her mind, focusing on the words in the book.

"Aha!" Ron pumped his fist in the air as his knight sent Harry's king soaring across the grass. "Squashed you like a bug."

"Oh shut up," Harry mumbled, sitting up miserably. Hermione grinned at them and flicked her eyes back towards her book.

"You two are typical," she said. "One minute, you will be perfectly fine, laughing and talking with one another. The next, you're bickering and biting each other's heads off."

Ron leaned over and licked Harry's hair, who grimaced and jumped back. "Harry's head tastes like peaches," he commented.

Hermione and Harry broke out into hysterics.

* * *

As they were heading to the Great Hall for dinner, Hermione was carefully thumbing through Hogwarts: A History, her eyes gazing the pages for nothing in particular. She enjoyed the book, and any excuse to read it was wonderful in her opinion. She was told to look through it for Ancient Runes class, and could've hugged the Professor for telling the class to do so.

Harry sank onto the bench of the Gryffindor table and Ron sat across from him, immediately diving into the spread of food. Hermione took the seat on the other side of Ron, her eyes never looking off the pages.

"Hermione, you've read that thing cover-to-cover about a hundred times, put it down for God's sake," Ron moaned as he saw her, still with the book shoved under her nose.

"It's for a class, actually," she said with a smile. "Ancient Runes."

"The one you have with Malfoy?" Ron asked, gnawing on a chicken leg. Hermione nodded, her smile saddening a little as Ron brought up the one person she didn't want to think about.

Without realizing what she was doing, Hermione lifted her head to look over at the Slytherin table, curiosity getting the best of her. Draco was sulking in the center of the table, ignoring Crabbe's jabs into his arm as he tried to show him how many chicken wings Goyle had fit into his mouth – twenty, after reading his lips – and staring down at his plate. She almost felt bad for him; almost. His hair was messier than usual and frizzy when it would normally be sleek and shiny down to the nape of his neck. Then, his eyes flickered up to meet Hermione's.

She didn't pull her eyes away, rather she held the gaze for at least a minute. They were searching each others eyes, trying to figuring one another out, and their brows furrowed in unison as they concentrated.

Hermione finally shifted her gaze away from his, her heart sinking sadly. At one point, she would have to face him; they were Head Boy and Head Girl, after all. And no matter what, she would never be able to fully avoid Draco Malfoy.

"Second Quidditch match tomorrow," Harry said with a smile, winking across the table at Hermione as she looked up at him.

"You'll win for sure," Hermione said. "Ravenclaw have nothing against you."

"Fucking right they don't," Ron said between mouthfuls of potatoes.

Hermione turned away from her two friends once more, lost in thought. She had barely touched her food, and now that she thought about it, she had barely touched any of her food this week. She had a bite of an apple this morning, but that was it. School was not stressing her out, as it was stressing Harry and Ron. But she was definitely emotionally drained from the thoughts of Draco Malfoy circling inside her brain.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk around the castle," she said finally, gathering her things and shoving them into her book bag.

Harry looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she lied, smiling and standing up. "I'll see you guys later in the common room, alright?"

Harry and Ron both nodded, but held deep looks of concern on their faces as they watched Hermione quickly walking towards the Great Hall doors. Harry could've sworn he even saw a single tear falling down her cheek before she left.

Once outside of the Great Hall, Hermione took a deep, long breath and wiped under her eyes with one hand, sniffling as she looked around. No one was in the corridors, since everyone was enjoying the meal that was in the Great Hall. Therefore, Hermione felt immediately comforted knowing she could wander the castle in peace and actually not look suspicious doing so now that she was Head Girl. She began to walk up the marble steps towards the first floor to loo around and clear her thoughts.

The quiet of the castle soothed her as each foot took a careful step after the next. She shifted the strap of her book bag up over her shoulder and crossed her arms under her chest, peering around the castle. She felt like she was in her first year all over again as she took long gazes around each doorway of the first floor. McGonagall's office door was open, and as Hermione tiptoed past it she saw McGonagall sitting inside, writing up something before she made her way towards the doorway. She paused once she saw Hermione.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said slowly, her eyes running from Hermione's toes to her hair. "Can I help you?"

"I was just taking a look around, Professor," Hermione said earnestly. "I wasn't that hungry."

McGonagall looked concerned. "I see." She paused to register what she would say next. "Are you sure there is nothing bothering you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. Should she talk to McGonagall about her emotional problems? _Of course not, you're being ridiculous._

"I'm fine Professor, really," she said finally, plastering a faint smile on her face.

"Please don't wander around too much, Granger," McGonagall said with a small smile back. "Teachers tend to become suspicious of students very quickly."

Hermione nodded hurriedly and walked away from Professor McGonagall, deciding to head up to the second floor instead. She made her way to the moving staircases, waiting for one to swing around and take her on it, when she felt the eyes of someone watching her. Snapping her head around to look, she saw only the portraits smiling back at her boldly.

But the feeling wasn't emitting from the portraits. She could feel a set of human eyes gazing at her intently, somewhere in the stairways. She peered around again, carefully taking in every nook and cranny, until her eyes landed on Draco Malfoy, who was sitting on the step of the staircase that was now swinging around to meet Hermione's feet.

When the staircase stopped moving, leaving Malfoy staring down at her from the fifth step up, Hermione didn't move. Her feet remained glued to the stone floors and she bit her lip as her heart thudded loudly against her chest to the point where it ached. She didn't know what to say, so she remained where she was, frozen.

"Hermione," Malfoy said finally, his voice smooth as silk. He lifted himself from the step and went down one cautiously, his eyes never leaving hers.

She didn't speak, her eyes glued on his and her breathing heavy. Her shoulder ached from the weight of the book bag pulling her down, and she dropped it to the floor with a heavy thud. Draco watched the bag fall before he looked back in her eyes.

"I know," he said, taking another step down. "That what I said to you was virtually unforgivable. I know that I shouldn't have said the things I did." He took a slow, long breath and came down one more step, his head a foot and a half above Hermione's. "But when I apologized days ago, I meant every word I said. I have changed, Hermione. I want you to see that I have. I'm not the Draco Malfoy you thought I was for the past six years."

Hermione didn't say anything still, staring up at him and breathing heavier than before. Her mind was racing with a million thoughts; she wanted to scream and kick him, and she wanted to kiss him and forget everything.

Finally, Draco was standing on the last step, looking down at Hermione. His hand touched her chin, tilting it up to look at him directly. She didn't move, slowed her breathing down, and relaxed at his cool touch. He brought his other hand up and stroked a lock of wavy brown hair away from her face, tucking it behind her lip.

"You're more than I could ever image, Hermione Granger," he said in a sultry voice.

A door banged behind them and a swarm of students came, obviously coming from the Great Hall. Hermione jumped back, away from Draco's hand, and blushed deeply at the floor.

"I have to go," she said in a timid voice, running up the stairs before he could stop her and before any of the other students could see them standing on the staircase together. Draco stood where he was, watching her leave, as students swarmed on either sides of him to get back to their dormitories and common rooms.

* * *

While Hermione slid onto the bench of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall the next morning, Draco had just sauntered in with Crabbe and Goyle quick on his heels. He had barely gotten any sleep last night, with dark circles lining underneath his eyes and his hair standing on end no matter what he tried to do to it.

He fell into the bench and looked down at his food, barely noticing it was there while an enormous yawn escaped his last. Last night, he had gotten only two hours of sleep because the incident with Hermione on the staircase had never left his mind. He had sat in the Slytherin common room until seven in the morning, when he climbed back into bed to make it look like he had been in the dormitory the entire time. Now, he was exhausted and miserable.

Crabbe and Goyle could sense his bad mood, since they sat at least five feet away from him and didn't say a word. Draco continued to stare down at his plate, full of delicious breakfast food, but didn't touch it. His eyes glazed over and his mind wandered off into another land.

About five minutes after Draco's dreary state, the hoot of two owls lead the beginning of the morning post's arrival. Dozens of owls swarmed in through the tiny window near the ceiling of the Great Hall, and swooped down to the awaiting students. Draco watched a beautiful tawny owl land directly beside Hermione's elbow, and she began to untie the Daily Prophet from its feet.

An owl Draco had never seen before swooped down to him, landing with a flutter of feathers next to his plate of food. It was black and white with very dark eyes and its feathers almost shiny. Attached to its feet was a creamy envelope with a bright green wax stamp on the back. The address simply said Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts with no return address. Curiously, he opened it, and read it over. His heart sank immediately at what he read:

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_We are deeply sorry to inform you that your paternal mother, Narcissa Malfoy (__née__ Black) was admitted into St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on the evening of November 4__th__._

_Narcissa, who seemed to be in hysterics and unstable for the past five months after close examination, attempted to perform the Avada Kedavra Curse on herself within the Malfoy Manor that evening. The Curse backfired, however, and somehow transformed itself into a spell similar to the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Narcissa is unstable to live by her own, and has been admitted into the fourth floor of St. Mungo's._

_We are sorry for your loss, as your mother will not be admitted back into the wizarding world at any time soon. After close examination, we have concluded that she shall spend a minimum of ten years in the hospital._

_For more information, or if you wish to speak with a Healer, please contact St. Mungo's on your own time.__Deeply sorry for your loss._

_Sincerely,_

_Durnan Longstron,  
__Healer, Fourth Floor of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries_

Draco dropped the letter on the table, his body shaking fiercely. His eyes welled with tears and his teeth chattered. Before he could stop himself, he broke into tears and flung himself from the Slytherin table, leaving every single person in the Great Hall staring after him.

Launching himself down into the dungeons, Draco was unable to make it directly into his bedroom and pressed his back against the wall of the cold stone wall, crying uncontrollably. His mother had attempted to perform suicide on herself, for the most part, because Lucius was a permanent prisoner in Azkaban prison. Draco knew his mother had been unstable and on the verge of driving herself to insanity, but he had not been prepared for this. Ten years? He thought in horror. His mother would be stuck in St. Mungo's, screaming agony, for ten long years. Just the thought of him wrenched his stomach and made him sick.

Sinking against the floor, Draco buried his face into his hands and sobbed. He heard students passing by above, but refused to talk to anyone that came near him. The last person he had deeply cared about in his family would probably never be the same person again. After he had heard about the effects the Cruciatus Curse had had on Neville Longbottom's parents, he didn't know if he would ever be the same. Draco immediately sympathized for Neville.

Draco didn't know how long he sat in the same position, sobbing uncontrollably, but he knew that by the time he finally wiped his sore, red eyes and got up from the ground to go upstairs, the Great Hall was empty and the sounds of students outside cheering and roaring showed that the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw was already taking place.

He blew a shaky breath and slid down the stairs to the dungeons again, sinking onto the last step and staring down at his hands. He would return home in the summer with no parents, an empty home, and completely and utter loneliness. He had no one to confide in, no one to talk to…

"Draco?"

Draco snapped his head up and behind to see Hermione standing in the archway of the stairway to the dungeons, the cool breeze outside tousling her hair in every direction. She was bundled in her plum-coloured jacket, a thick scarf, and gloves had been thrown on. Obviously, this particular afternoon was freezing outside. Her face held a look of concern, and he could tell she immediately realized he had been crying.

"Go back to the game," he muttered, dropping his head. But he heard her footsteps advancing down the stairs, and he looked back up with his whole body shaking. She was standing in front of him now, a frown on her lips as she began to remove her gloves.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, her voice full of concern as she sank to crouch in front of Draco.

He sniffled, wiping his nose on the back of his robes and stared down at her. Without a word, he reached into the pocket of his robes and extracted the letter with a shaky hand, passing it to Hermione. She looked confused, but took it and her eyes scanned the note. Her face held a strange expression – concern, relief, sadness.

"Draco," she said softly, resting her hands on his knees. "I am so, so sorry."

The words made fresh tears form in his eyes. Draco had never been this vulnerable before, and felt completely worthless as she sat on the steps of the staircase, crying in front of the girl he could potentially love. When his shoulders began to shake again from crying, he felt Hermione's arms circle around him and pull him into a hug. Wordlessly and slowly, he unravelled his arms to wrap them around her as well, sinking his head into her shoulder.

If anyone were to walk past them right night, Draco would feel completely embarrassed; two people designed to hate each other for eternity, Head Boy and Head Girl, embraced in a tight hug and the boy sobbing into her shoulder. But no one walked by; everyone was outside watching Gryffindor destroy Ravenclaw in Quidditch.

Draco finally pulled away, his eyes too sore to cry anymore. His throat ached from the choked sobs he had been having, and he opened his eyes slowly to look at Hermione, she was still close to him, frowning in concern. Her lips pouted in a very sexy way, and her hair framed her face in windblown waves.

He wasn't sure what came over him – perhaps it was the feeling of being lonely for the rest of his life – but his hand found Hermione's chin, and he brought her in towards him. His lips brushed hers ever so lightly and, when Hermione didn't pull away, he moved his hand to the back of her head and brought her closer, their lips meeting in a firm, deep kiss. Draco immediately softened at the movements of Hermione's lips on his, and his other hand wound around to rest on her lower back, pulling her closer against him.

When he felt her arms go around his neck, Draco took the opportunity to stand up, scared that their lips would no longer touch. But Hermione stood with him, her fingers running through the back of his hair and her lips opening and closing in time with his as they kissed passionately. He walked her backwards until her body was pressed against the cold stone wall of the dungeons, his fingers moving away from her hair as they stroked along her collar bone and jaw. He felt her shiver under his fingers, and his tongue began to snake against her very softly.

"Draco," Hermione breathed against his lips, and he kissed her with firmer lips, his hands reaching down to unwind the scarf from her neck. Their lips never moved from one another's, their breaths quickening as Draco flung the scarf down and began to unbutton her jacket. When the buttons were done, he slid it off her shoulders, leaving them standing in their Hogwarts robes and casual outfits.

Silently, used his feet to kick up the scarf and jacket into his hands, using his other hand to firmly clasp Hermione on her lower back as he moved them along the wall, his lips moving away to ravage at the soft spot where her shoulder and neck met. She gasped, a sound he loved to hear, and bit it gently while his hand searched for the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Once he felt the crack in the wall, he muttered the password – "Snake tongue" – and the stone slid aside to let them in.

The Slytherin common room was empty, as he had hoped for, and Draco's lips met Hermione's again as he walked them into the common room, his hands firmly grasping her hips as hers wound their way into his hair. Their tongues danced perfectly together, and their chests were heaving for breath. Both were scared to move away and ruin this perfect moment.

Wordlessly, Draco walked Hermione back until her lower back hit the armrest of the low-backed leather couch. He crept over her slowly, pushing her hips back with his so she sank down against the couch, taking mouthfuls of air before Draco's lips were back on hers. His hands explored every curve of her body, down the sides of her breasts, slipping past her waist and hips and finally running along one of her thighs, which was lifted to rest against the side of his rib. He wanted to do so much with Hermione right here, when they had the opportunity to do so, but he was scared to – for the first time in his life. He didn't want her to jump away and scream at him.

Very gently, Draco ran his fingertips up her stomach and pressed his palms against her breasts. Her breath caught in her throat as he massaged them gently, moving his palms in circles. Hermione didn't object; instead, her fingers grasped his hair tighter in her hands.

Draco moved his lips away, staring down at her with lust-filled eyes. "I don't want to ruin this," he said breathlessly, his voice husky. "I don't want to go any further, not yet."

"Me neither," Hermione panted, her fingers tracing along Draco's jaw. "But I know I don't want to stop."

Draco grinned, the evil grin he always had, only now it was for a much different reason. He didn't go any further with Hermione, but they continued where they had left off, embraced in one another's touch as they lay on the couch of the Slytherin common room in the cool, peaceful silence.


	7. An Inconvenience

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** I know it's been a few days, but I had a busy weekend and didn't get an opportunity to come online much – plus I don't update on weekends anyway. I was supposed to be going somewhere with a friend of mine, but our plans backfired. Therefore, I spent the weekend with friends and family. My hands needed a break from writing, forgive me! Updating has become very similar to a full-time job (I love it though). Thank you so much for showing respect and love for the story! It's going to get much, much better. Although don't hate me if something _does_ occur in the stories that you don't like – I can't satisfy everyone! Review and tell me how I'm doing! Thank you so much to the fans, because you really do make up this website and its name. Warning! This chapter has the first raunchy scene of the story in it.

* * *

**Chapter Seven:  
An Inconvenience**

Hermione awoke the next day in her own four-poster bed in the girls' dormitory for Gryffindor, yet she had no recollection of how she had gotten back here. The last thing she remembered was laying underneath Draco's arm with his chest pressed against her back, and his lips trailing down the side of her neck. Had she dreamt it?

Shaking her head furiously, she sat up in her bed and looked down. She was still dressed in her clothes from yesterday, and she didn't take her Head Girl badge off last night before she went to bed.

_Definitely not a dream_, she thought to herself. Obviously, something had really happened between her and Draco last night, but why couldn't she remember how the hell she had gotten back to her dormitory?

Peering around the rest of the room, Hermione noticed that none of the other girls were there, but their beds were neatly made. That meant the house-elves had been in to make them already. Stumbling out of bed, Hermione quickly got changed into new clothes and reattached her Head Girl badge to her robes before heading downstairs, passing the other dormitory doors as she went down the twisting staircase.

The common room was empty as well – extremely peculiar. Looking at the clock over hanging the fireplace, Hermione saw that it was already lunch time; everyone else would already been in the Great Hall eating. This also meant that she had slept through not one, but two of her classes already!

"Oh God!" she squeaked, bolting towards the portrait hole and running down to the Great Hall, ignoring the Fat Lady's cries of agony as she had smashed her off the other side of the wall.

Her face hot and her lungs out of breath, Hermione pushed open the Great Hall doors and was relieved to see everyone else already eating. Harry and Ron were muttering to each other and sharing worried expressions as they sat opposite one another further along the Gryffindor table. She straightened her robes, lifted her head high to the sky, and walked gracefully towards them, ignoring the pairs of eyes on her.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up from the table as he saw Hermione walking towards them. "We were so worried about you when you didn't show up for Charms or Potions. Are you okay?"

Hermione took a seat across from Ron, breathing slowly and steadily. "I'm fine," she said. "I just overslept, that's all."

"That's not like you," Ron said, his brow furrowing. "When have you ever missed a class Hermione?"

"Third year," she snapped. Ron opened his mouth to argue, but closed it again.

Without speaking to either of her friends, Hermione took tiny bites of the sandwich she had placed on her plate, disappointed in herself as a student and as a Head Girl for missing her classes. Third year had been different, she was only thirteen then. Now, she should've known better than to sleep through two full classes.

Suddenly, Hermione remembered exactly why she had slept through her classes and her head shot up to look over at the Slytherin table. Sure enough, a pair of cool, steely grey-blue eyes met her brown ones, and her heart skipped a beat. Draco grinned at her behind his goblet, winking one cool eye as he caught her gaze. She blushed a deep crimson and dropped her head, staring down into her lap. The butterflies fluttered madly in her stomach again. Not only had she shared a very passionate kiss with Draco last night, but she finally knew how he felt for her.

Then, her heart sank as she thought over last night once more. Draco had kissed her after crying into her shoulder from receiving the letter saying his mother would be in St. Mungo's for at least ten years. Had the kiss only been a desperate need for comfort? Had he used his depressed mood about his mother to lure Hermione to feel sorry for him, forgive him, and kiss him?

_You're being ridiculous, Hermione_. Shaking her head furiously, she knocked the thoughts out of her head. Of course Draco felt mutual feelings towards her. But their kiss last night didn't necessarily mean they were now a couple – did it? She had never been a couple before, except with Ron for about a week in the sixth year. She had no idea what the protocol was after someone had the steamiest kiss of their entire existence.

"What are you blushing for?" Ron asked suddenly, his head snapping around in every direction to get a view of whoever was looking at her. "Who's the guy? Who is he? I'll kill him. Whoever he is, you deserve better… Ouch!"

Hermione glanced up to see Ron rubbing his shin and glaring angrily across the table at Harry, who was eating his food as if nothing had happened.

"I was just thinking of confronting Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn, and how embarrassing it is that I missed two lessons," she said in a squeaky voice.

As everyone began leaving the Great Hall to head to their next classes, Hermione excused herself from her two friends to rush up to the staff table and apologize to Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn. Both teachers were sympathetic to Hermione, considering it was her first time she had ever missed one of their classes, and they shrugged it off with a pat on the back. After asking what she had missed in class and jotting down her homework and reading pages to work on later that evening, she turned to head out of the Great Hall. Once in the Entrance Hall with a majority of the other students, she blushed as she saw Draco talking in hushed voices to Crabbe and Goyle in the corner. Without thinking over what she was about to do, she skipped over to him.

"Hi," she said nervously, hugging the parchment with her work on it to her chest. Draco looked up from talking to his friends, his eyes flashed around nervously, and he cleared his throat.

"What?" he asked coldly. Hermione's smile faded.

"I-I was just seeing how you were?" she admitted, her voice cracking awkwardly as she spoke.

Draco's cool grey eyes ran over hers as he took her in, before they finally settled on hers. "O-kay… And why would you care, Mugglebreath?" Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.

"I-I…" Hermione pressed her lips into a firm line as her eyes began to water again, an experience she had felt too many times since the so-called "good" Draco Malfoy had walked into her life. "I was just thinking about… last night, you know, in your common room?"

Draco grinned broadly, an evil grin that Hermione remembered too clearly. "What happened last night, Granger? Did you have another sex dream about me? Calm yourself down, I mean, I know I'm charming, I have dazzling features, and I am pretty much the master in bed – but do try to control yourself in your subconscious, would you?" Crabbe and Goyle chortled hysterically, covering their mouths from the evil grins as they stared down at Hermione's helpless face.

"I… It wasn't a dream!" she spat fiercely, her hands clenching into fists by her sides. "I know for a fact that what happened last night was not a dream, Draco."

"I don't believe we're on a first-name basis here, are we?" Draco crossed his arms over his chest, a grin spreading widely on his face.

"How could you?" she said in a silent, ferocious voice that made Draco frown and step back slightly, his eyes suddenly full of concern. "How could you do this to me for a second time? I don't give a damn if Crabbe and Goyle here this, but the fact is this." She turned to Crabbe and Goyle, her eyes flooded with tears that she refused to let spill. "Your precious leader here kissed a Muggle-born witch last name, a Muggle-born witch you were taught to hate the minute we set eyes on one another during first year. And he is too much of a coward to admit it to the rest of the school. So you know what?" She turned her attention back to Draco. "If you ever try to talk to me again, I mean ever, I will make it my duty to ensure that my lips never touch yours again, that we never breathe the same air again. I was a fool to give up the impression that I could trust you before, Malfoy. But you're exactly what you have always been. Your bullshit story involving your father will never matter, because you will never love anyone for the rest of your life. I hope you die alone." Spinning on her heel, she stormed up the marble staircase and towards the Gryffindor common room to collect her books, her vision blurred by a sheet of tears.

_What's wrong with me?_ Hermione thought to herself as she muttered the password to a surly-looking Fat Lady, who had obviously not forgiven Hermione for slamming her against a wall the night previous. _How could I ever possibly think that Draco Malfoy would be a good person?_ Of course _he was using me. _Of course_ he was faking his tears to get me to kiss him. How could you be so gullible, Hermione?_ She shook her head for blaming herself for anything that had happened between her and the blonde traitor. _It is _not_ my fault. He is the disgusting git that I should have never trusted from day one._

Slamming the Fat Lady's portrait shut behind her, Hermione trudged up to the dormitory with her feet stomping loudly behind her. The loud stomps caused a few angry, younger girls to poke their heads out of their dormitories and snap up at her, but she ignored them all and thrust open the door to the seventh year girls' dormitory. Throwing her book bag on the bed and scrounging through her trunk for her next class books, Hermione couldn't help but let a few, pitiful tears slide down her cheeks and land silently on the bottom of her trunk. Draco Malfoy – Slytherin Sex God, Slytherin Prince, Lucius Malfoy's son. Was she that easy to manipulate? Could anyone, for that matter, make Hermione melt in their hands and cause her to throw herself at them?

With her Arithmancy and Muggle Studies books in her book bag – along with fresh rolls of parchment, her bottle of ink, and a quill – Hermione trudged back downstairs and out into the seventh floor corridors, her eyes wiped clear of any signs that she had been crying. She stifled a sniffle from her nose and took a long, rattling breath before heading to the Arithmancy classroom. She would enjoy one of her favourite subjects, no matter how much Draco Malfoy had affected her thoughts for the remainder of the day.

* * *

The next few days came and went quickly, and Malfoy never spoke a word to Hermione; not even when she crashed into him from around a corner and handed her the books she had dropped, walking away briskly as if it had not happened. Satisfied that he was – once again – listening to her requests that he should never speak with her again, Hermione was able to enjoy the work that was piled onto her for the upcoming N.E.W.T.s at the end of next term. December was nearing hurriedly, meaning that Christmas holidays would soon arrive and it would be time for Hermione to make her decision as to whether or not she would stay behind in Hogwarts with Harry and Ron for the holidays, or return home to stay with her Muggle parents for two weeks.

Two days before December began, Hermione felt completely at ease as she had finally drained the last remaining thoughts of Draco Malfoy out of her brain. She felt absolutely relaxed and at ease as she sprawled out on her back on the ground of Hogwarts, bundled up in a T-shirt, a jumper, her thick coat, a scarf, a knit cap, jeans and knee-high boots; Harry and Ron were equally bundled up on either side of her, their three heads connected. They stared up into the white, cloudy sky as soft snowflakes drifted down and landed on their outstretched tongues or their quickly reddening noses.

"I love winter for the snow, but the cold weather can fuck off for all I care," Ron said as he strained his tongue to reach a snowflake that was slowly drifting down by the tip of his tongue.

"Agreed," Harry said, closing his eyes and wiping the back of his sleeve on his glasses. "Christmas holidays are only two weeks away. What do you two want for Christmas?"

Hermione stretched her arms high above her head and sighed, cradling her head over them as she crossed them beneath her curly brown hair. "Oh, anything you get me is fine, Harry. You know exactly what I like and what I don't like."

"Same, mate," Ron said, shuffling away from them to attempt to make a snow angel. "As long as you don't wrap up Lavender Brown in a box for me. That girl has been driving me crazy ever since I said she looked pretty that ONE day in Potions!"

Hermione and Harry laughed simultaneously. Almost as if on cue, Lavender Brown came rushing down the grounds with Parvati Patil quick at her heels, both warmly dressed to prevent the cold weather from getting to them. Lavender's curly blonde hair was bouncing off her back as she hurried down, pausing as she noticed Ron among Hermione and Harry. She blushed, whispered something to Parvati – who glanced at Ron and giggled – and walked briskly past the three, waving timidly to Ron as she sped past.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered under his breath, lowering himself back on the snowy ground next to Hermione.

After making a few snow angels and laughing warmly with one another, the three decided it would be a good idea to go and visit Hagrid. He had been extremely quiet with the three friends all year, considering he was still very grief stricken with the passing of Aragog the previous year. Desperately seeking their friend's company, the three made their way down to his hut, which had been rebuilt and repaired after the Death Eaters had set fire to it the previous year – a very bad year for Hagrid, it turned out.

Hermione knocked on the door with red knuckles, shivering as the cold began to take effect over her body. Harry and Ron mimicked her shivers as they stood behind her on either side, their teeth chattering. Then, the door creaked open and the massive form of Rubeus Hagrid stood in front of them, his bushy black hair and beard greying slightly and his beady black eyes crinkling in the corners as he gazed down at them. He had pink floral oven mitts over his massive hands, and his breath could be seen as he stood in the doorway of the hut.

"'Arry! 'Ermione! Ron! Good to see ye three. What're yeh doin' down here?" he asked.

"We wanted to come visit you, Hagrid," Hermione said, taking a small step towards the hut as she begged for its warmth. "We've missed you terribly."

Hagrid smiled and stepped aside to let the three in, who sighed in relief as the warmth sank into their bodies. Hermione unravelled her scarf and threw it over a nearby chair, along with her gloves, hat and coat. She hurried over to sit by the fire, stretching her hands out and sighing in comfort.

"Can I get yeh three some tea? I also got some bottles o' Butterbeer somewhere in 'ere," Hagrid said, scratching his bushy head as he looked around for the bottles. "Ah! There they are." He crouched down and fished through a bucket of what appeared to be filled with blankets, extracting three bottles of golden brown liquid-filled bottles. He handed one each to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"How have you been?" Harry asked, sitting next to Hermione and helping her open her bottle. "You know, since… he died."  
Hagrid sighed and sat on his cot, which creaked and moaned. "Not terrible, 'arry. But not great either, let me tell yeh. Would be nice if he was still alive, I'll admit. An' Merlin knows Fang ain't bin the same either, knows somethin' is up. Smart dog, he is." Hagrid reached down to scratch Fang behind the ears, who was panting and wagging his tail wildly. "Glad yeh three came down to see me, I knew someone must'a missed ol' 'agrid up at the castle."

"Of course we missed you," Hermione said, turning to him and smiling. "Hagrid, we know you better than any other student on these grounds. How could you think we didn't miss you? The only reason we didn't come down sooner was because we've been so busy with schoolwork. N.E.W.T.s this year and everything, I'm sure you understand.

Hagrid nodded and reached into the bucket of blankets to pull out his own Butterbeer bottle, cracking it open as if it was nothing. "I missed yeh three too, don' worry there." His eyes crinkled as he smiled, and his enormous, hairy arms wound around the three of them, pulling them tight to his body. "What grea' friends we have, eh Fang?" Fang barked loudly to show his happiness.

Losing their oxygen quickly, the three of them pulled back and gave Hagrid weak smiles, sipping their Butterbeer as they continued to talk to him about anything and everything – school, Aragog, Voldemort's defeat, the Death Eaters being locked away or killed.

Before they knew it, two hours had passed and the snow outside turned from crystal white to a dim grey as the shadowy clouds grew over them. Hagrid hurried the three outside, telling them to return back to the castle, after giving them another bone-cracking hug and closing the door on their faces. Without anything else to do, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked back up the grounds towards Hogwarts, their feet slipping on the snow and ice as they trudged up the hills.

Relieved to be back in the warmth of the castle once more, Hermione lead them to the Great Hall from the Entrance Hall so they could enjoy dinner with the rest of the school. Sure enough, the Great Hall was filled with witches and wizards who were happily eating and talking to their classmates.

Sinking onto the bench between Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom, Hermione dug into her food and began piling on everything she could see. She didn't dare move her eye contact up towards the Slytherin table in fear of meeting Draco's eyes – she had made it almost two weeks without speaking to him or making eye contact to him, and she wasn't about to go down so easily.

After dinner, Hermione was quickly walking behind Harry and Ron as they were leaving the Great Hall, but she was stopped by the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice calling her name from the staff table.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione paused and turned slowly, telling Harry and Ron to leave without her as she faced the Headmistress, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor house.

"Yes, Professor?"

"A word, if you may." Professor McGonagall's eyes flicked to the Slytherin table as well. "I'd like to speak with you as well, Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione's body tensed as she heard Draco's feet thudding along the stone floor until he stopped right beside her, his hands folded politely behind his back. She could feel her heart picking up pace just at the presence of him, and immediately swallowed it down once more to raise her eyes to McGonagall, who was clearing her throat. Professor Slughorn – also Head of Slytherin house – was sitting in the seat next to her, idly twisting his wand about the table.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," she said, her gaze flickering from one to the other. "Professor Slughorn and I have had a long talk about this, and we have decided it is a very promising reward for both of you. Considering you two have been extremely behaved Heads of Hogwarts, we are honoured to present to you your new sleeping arrangements – the Head Tower, the private dormitories for Head Boy and Head Girls who continue to amaze the staff and Headmaster or mistress with their work in the school." McGonagall cleared her throat again before she continued on, ignoring the shared stunned expressions on Hermione and Draco's face. "It's located in the North Tower behind a portrait of Albus Dumbledore, who – as you both know – was Head Boy for Hogwarts when he attended. There are two separate dormitories for either one of you, each decorated to your house colours, and there is also a secret entrance through the statue of Godric Gryffindor which will lead you to the Prefects bathroom, as well as another one through the statue of Salazar Slytherin that will lead you to underneath the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall." McGonagall paused to glance from Hermione to Draco. "Shall Horace and I lead you to your new dormitory?"

Neither Hermione nor Draco said a word as they followed Professor McGonagall and Slughorn out of the Great Hall, winding their way up the staircases to the North Tower. They shared the same expression – mouths open, eyes wide, not blinking once. They continued not to speak to one another as McGonagall stopped halfway up the North tower at a portrait of Albus Dumbledore, the portrait curved to lie flat against the rounded surface of the tower's wall. In his portrait, he sat in a high-backed, purple velvet chair with his spectacles perched on his nose and a book in his hands, glancing up over his spectacles to see who was arriving.

Beaming down at Hermione and Draco – and greeting each teacher with a nod and an equally warm smile – Dumbledore smoothed his hands over his robes and leaned back into his chair, a smile never leaving his face.

"Congratulations are in order for you two, for your success at keeping the school in tact under the supervision of the staff," he said, clapping his hands lightly. "Password?"

"The password is 'Lemon Streusel'," McGonagall told the two, and Dumbledore's portrait swung open to reveal the inside of the Head Tower. Hermione and Draco's jaws remained dropped as they stepped in.

The common room was enormous and round, with two winding stairways leading up to – what Hermione assumed to be – their dormitories. An enormous, crackling fireplace stood between those staircases, and a plush black sofa along with a handful of armchairs scattered the room neatly. There were bookcases lining the walls and a bust of – as Professor McGonagall had mentioned – Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin on either side of the room. The carpet was plush and white, and there were various other paintings and decorations done around the room.

"Now," McGonagall said from outside the portrait, not entering as the other two had. "I assume you two will keep this room fairly maintained without the necessary need for the house-elves to rush up here every hour to clean up after you. And I can only assume that you will not let too many people into this common room. Dumbledore will make sure of that." Slughorn nodded in agreement absentmindedly, his head poked into the portrait hole to gaze around at their new dormitory.

"Your things have been brought up for you," were the last words McGonagall said to them before reaching over and closing the portrait over the hole, leaving Hermione and Draco to stand in the middle of the common room, gazing at one another without the slightest idea of what to say.

Hermione suddenly remembered that she refused to speak to Draco and loosened up, striding past him to hurry up one of the stairways, hoping it would be her room. Coincidentally, it was, and she was pleased with her surroundings. A grand king-size, four-poster bed stood against one wall of the room, and a wardrobe much larger than the one she shared with the other girls stood against another wall. A bookshelf was across from the wardrobe, and Hermione's trunk lay flat at the end of her bed. Crookshanks, Hermione's beloved cat, was curled up on a giant fluffy pillow on the floor of Hermione's bed, purring in her sleep. And, sure enough, the entire room was donned in Gryffindor colours – red and gold.

Beaming around, Hermione tested the bed by sitting on the end of it. It was extremely plush, and she edged backwards until her back was lying on the bed top, sinking into its soft fabric. The silky bedspread flowed over the exposed areas of her skin, making goosebumps creep up her arms, and Hermione felt her eyes grow heavy instantly. She knew she shouldn't fall asleep, she had things to do…

* * *

_Hermione knew something was different when she opened her eyes, since the room had a watery appearance to it, flowing in the corners of her vision like tides gathering on the shores of a beach. She was staring up at the ceiling, but she felt much more of the silky fabric touching her body than she had before she fell asleep. Sitting up in the bed and gazing down, Hermione was shocked to see she was clad in only the lingerie she was wearing that day – a matching black lace and cotton bra and panties set._

_Confused, she looked around the room to search for her clothes and gasped in surprise as she saw Draco standing in the doorway… wearing only his boxers. She blushed deeply and gathered the silky sheets around her body, trying hard to glare at Draco as she remembered she was supposed to hate him. But for some reason, her forehead would not move and she could not narrow her eyes to glare; they would only blink and go back to their full state. Therefore, it was hard for Hermione to show Draco she had any hateful feelings towards them._

_"Let me have this moment," Draco said, his voice airy and misty as if he was talking softly through a breeze. He walked up to her, and Hermione found herself admiring his body – his pale skin, the firmness of his skin, the chiselled features of his torso and arms. He stood at the end of the bed, his knees bending as he knelt on the end, and began crawling slowly until he was raised on his hands over Hermione, his knees on either side of her hips, his cool grey gaze piercing into her eyes._

_Hermione's breathing grew steady as she timidly looked up into Draco's eyes, her hands balled into fists as she kept the sheets gathered around her. Then, an unimaginable force came out of nowhere and knocked the sheets out of her hands, tugging them down and away until they both laid on the top of the fitted sheet that clung to the mattress. She had nothing to hide her half-naked state, and Draco took the opportunity to let his eyes slither down her body._

_"Breathtaking," he said in his airy voice, his eyes running back up until they met hers again. "Let me make you feel beautiful, Hermione." He rested himself on one elbow as his other hand went down, his fingers drumming softly against her thigh and his fingertips dragging very lightly up her stomach, pausing underneath her breasts. Hermione quivered and sighed, her eyes closing before she could help herself._

_Taking this as a good sign, Draco moved down slowly until his head hovered over her chest, his eyes never leaving hers. Slowly, he lowered his head and latched his mouth onto her right breast, biting the thin fabric with his teeth and tugging up. Hermione gasped as she felt his teeth graze her nipple through the fabric, wanting to kick herself for the throbbing that ran down between her legs. She moaned helplessly, her hands finding their ways into the back of Draco's hair before she could stop herself._

_Draco mimicked this with the left breast, grinning evilly as Hermione gasped once more. He moved up until his mouth was over hers, breathing his cool breath onto her lips before he used one hand to slide underneath her head, grasping the back of her brown curls and pulling her head up roughly so her lips met his firmly. Hermione gasped in surprise, but her hands wound tighter into his hair and she met his wet kisses with equally desperate ones, their tongues battling one another's._

_Draco only pulled his mouth away to look down at Hermione again, brushing away a stray strand of curly brown hair with one finger. He gazed into her eyes, then lowered his lips to her collarbone, planting cool kisses along the sensitive skin. She shuddered and arched her back, giving Draco the opportunity to reach underneath and unclasp the fastening of her bra. With a swift movement, he brought the ends around and reached up her arms to slide the straps down until the bra was off, still covering her breasts. He then leaned up slightly and tossed the bra aside, staring down admiringly at her exposed breasts as another evil grin played across his lips. And then, without warning, he dropped his head and his lips latched onto one of her nipples._

_Hermione cried out in surprise and pleasure, her body arching towards Draco's warm, wet mouth and a shudder crawling under her skin as his fingers tugged gently at her other nipple, leaving none unattended. She wiggled and squirmed under his touch, his magic touch. She could feel his hips pressing against hers, and a very firm bump pressing between her thighs as he worked his lips, tongue and fingers against her breasts._

_Almost as quickly as it had happened, Draco lifted his head and beamed, reaching down beneath him as he shoved two fingers into either side of Hermione's panties' straps. Slowly, he pulled them down until they were at her ankles, then pushed them off with his feet as he smiled down at Hermione._

_"Lover," he breathed, and he pushed two fingers deep inside of her as the last cool breath of his words touched Hermione's skin. She gasped louder, her hand grabbing at his wrist that had pushed the two fingers into her entrance, and she shuddered a sigh at his touch. Draco took this in a positive way, as he should, and began to slowly pump the fingers in and out, watching Hermione intently as he did so._

_Hermione knew she wouldn't last another minute, and she grasped the sides of Draco's boxers, pulling them down roughly and kicking them off with her own feet as well. She grinned up at Draco._

_"Please," she breathed, her hands finding the back of his hair once more. "Please, Draco."_

_Listening to her pleas, Draco removed his fingers and, after positioning himself at her entrance, thrust deep into her until he was up to the hilt. Hermione gasped, grabbed at his back with her nails digging into his skin, and called out his name as his thrusts met hers…_

* * *

"Granger?"

Hermione's eyes shot open and her hand moved away from where it had been – _I wasn't just… was I?! Merlin's beard, Hermione! _– as she stared down at the stairway of the dormitory, sitting up immediately.

"Go away, Malfoy!" she hissed, rolling over onto her side and staring down at Crookshanks as she closed her eyes again. She had not just had a very graphic scene involving Draco Malfoy, had she?

"Shit," she muttered.


	8. Christmas

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **I am so sorry that this update has taken so long! I've had the busiest week, and with my last school year approaching, it looks like updates may be less frequent. But I promise that I will try my best and hopefully be able to have updates much more frequently. That aside,another wonderful Dramonie chapter. I'm so excited that everyone has enjoyed this story so far, and the praise for it is the only thing that keeps me writing it – that and the fact that I enjoy writing it as well. Here's the eighth chapter, and the question that lingers with all of you I'm sure is – Will Hermione and Draco ever got along long enough to become a couple? We'll see. Keep the reviews and praise coming!

* * *

**Chapter Eight:  
****Christmas**

Hermione lifted her head off her pillow and rolled over to lie on her back once more, sitting up and sighing as she rubbed her forehead. She had to sort out her priorities in life, and the situation with Draco Malfoy was definitely high on the list, but not first. Therefore, she rolled off the bed and straightened her robes, having decided to go and see Harry and Ron to explain to them her new dormitory for the rest of the year.

Once her foot hit the bottom of the stairs that lead up to her room, she looked around for any sign of Malfoy – she could have sworn she heard him say her name upstairs. The common room was empty, and the window nearest them showed nothing but a pitch black sky and a flurry of white snow. The flicker of the fireplace was the only thing illuminating the room.

Shrugging, Hermione pushed open the portrait open and climbed out of the hole it left in the tower's stone wall, ignoring Dumbledore's eyes lingering on her back as she walked down the spiralling staircase and towards the Gryffindor common room.

Hogwarts was eerily quiet as she sauntered through the hallways, nodding her head briskly at Colin and Parvati, who were patrolling the halls for the night. She climbed the staircases up to the seventh floor, chanted the password to a groggy Fat Lady, and climbed in the portrait hole. Harry and Ron were sitting cross-legged on the floor by the fire with Ginny perched on an armchair behind Harry, his head resting on her knees as they enjoyed the warmth of the fire. The sound of the portrait hole opening made them all look over their shoulders to see who had entered.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, scurrying to get to his feet and dusting himself off clumsily. For some reason, this action made Hermione very curious – it was as though Ron was trying to hide something, as if he was trying to hide the blushing red on his cheeks or look at anything besides Hermione's face. "Where have you been? We looked all over for you, couldn't find you."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted as a squealing sixth year girl came running down stairs, laughing and her wavy black hair frizzy and messy. Her robes were lopsided on her shoulders, and she turned to face the second person who was coming down. To Hermione's disgust, horror and sorrow, Draco Malfoy came sauntering down with a lopsided grin on his face. Her mixed feelings grew stronger as she watched Draco smack the girl firmly on the rear and give her a sloppy wet kiss.

"Eugh," Ron said, faking a gagging noise as he witnessed the public displays of affection. Hermione stood there, his hands in balled fists as she looked over Malfoy. His hair was messy; his white button-up shirt un-tucked and his lips red and sore looking. Obviously, he and the sixth year girl had been messing around in her room. Hermione's stomach tensed and her heart sank at the thought.

"I'll see you later, Gladia," Malfoy said hoarsely, winking over her shoulder at Ron but pausing mid-step as he saw Hermione. Unsure of how to react to her presence, he looked down at his feet and gnawed on his lip, nervously shifting from foot to foot before hurrying out of the common room at a quick run.

"What was that all about?" Ginny asked, her eyebrow arched questioningly at Hermione. Hermione shrugged Ginny's question off, her chest rising and lowering as she processed what she had just seen.

Gladia, a dreamy look still on her face, skipped back upstairs to her dormitory room and Hermione heard her slam the door before she turned back to her friends to tell them all about the Head Tower.

"So you'll be stuck in the same dormitory as Draco Malfoy for the rest of the year?" Ron asked after she had explained the situation to them. He crossed his arms with a frown. "I-I don't like it."

Hermione looked at him, confused by his stuttering, but was distracted as Gladia came sauntering back downstairs, settling herself in an armchair in the corner with a book. She had changed from her robes into a pink flannel pyjama set and her hair had been knotted at the back of her hair in a complicated braid.

"Why would McGonagall think it would be a good idea to shove you two into the same tower together?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing at the thought.

Hermione shrugged, her mind somewhere else as she thought of what she had just witnessed. Obviously, she had been correct about Malfoy – he really didn't have any feelings for her if he had been snogging Gladia the sixth year only five minutes ago. The scene she witnessed completely solved every answer she had about her true feelings for Malfoy. She knew, once and for all, she would be able to continue on with her life and her school work as she knew it.

Maybe.

* * *

Two weeks passed, and the Christmas holidays had finally arrived at Hogwarts. Hermione had wrote to her parents the day beforehand, telling them that she would be staying at Hogwarts this year, and had sent them the letter via a school owl. Now, on the first day of the holidays, Hermione sat on the marble stairs in the Entrance Hall wearing a cable-knit moss green sweater and jeans tucked into calf-high boots, sipping a piping hot chocolate as she watched the lines of students who were waiting in the Entrance Hall. Everyone was bundled up tightly in their clothes and looked about five times their size from the layers of clothes they were wearing to protect themselves from the freezing weather outside. Filch, who was equally bundled up and looking angrier than ever, pushed open the doors to Hogwarts to shove the students out. A blast of cold air and snow came in, rushing in their faces as they hurried down to the carriages.

Hermione sighed and took a long sip of hot chocolate, staring into the frothy brown liquid absentmindedly. The two weeks that had passed had been excruciating. Not only had they all been given extra homework to do over the holidays, but she had four essays to write and was forced to face Draco Malfoy in the common room of the Head Tower every single evening. Fortunately, Hermione had spent very minimal time in the tower and only returned there to sleep for the evening, waking up at eight and rushing hurriedly so she could jet down to the Great Hall for breakfast. This left very little time for her to spend in the common room, and she was perfectly satisfied with that.

With Harry and Ron playing Wizard Chess in the Great Hall, Hermione had nothing to do and no one to talk to. The two were so involved in their game that she had left without them even noticing to come and watch the rest of the students leave for the holidays. Ginny was in the Great Hall still, chatting happily to Luna Lovegood – she and Hermione had never been that close to begin with.

Sighing deeply, Hermione swallowed the rest of her hot chocolate and left the mug on the steps, retreating up to the library. Perhaps she could find a book she had actually never read before, which was highly unlikely. Although that had always been the answer to her problems – read a book.

The library was extremely empty, and the only people occupying it were the librarian and a seventh-year Hufflepuff who had his nose shoved into _Hogwarts: a History. _Pleased by the little crowd, Hermione strode past the librarian and into a section of advanced spells; perhaps she could work on some harder spells over the Christmas break.

The door to the library opened slowly but creakily, and Hermione – who was standing on tip-toe to reach a book higher up – glanced over her shoulder to see who had come in. Amazed to see Draco Malfoy gazing around the library, she lost her balance completely and fell off the desk that was pushed against the bookcase, falling on her back roughly.

The Huffleboy boy and the librarian raised their heads to see what had happened, and Malfoy's head snapped towards Hermione. A mixture of a grin and a frown spread across his face, and he walked over to help her up.

"I'm fine," Hermione muttered, raising herself off her back and taking a sharp intake of breath. A burning pain rose from her tailbone, up her spine and spread across her shoulders. The ache was so bad, but Hermione attempted to shrug it off by biting her lip and closing her eyes tightly.

"Are you okay?" Malfoy asked. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he was looking down at her nervously, unsure of whether or not she really needed help.

"Never better." Hermione stood up and turned away from Malfoy to hide the tears of pain that were streaking down her cheeks. She furiously wiped them away on the back of her sleeve and turned to face him. "I thought I told you to never talk to me again," she growled.

"I was… never mind." He shook his head and glanced over the outfit Hermione was wearing, his eyes finally settling back on hers. "You look great in green, Granger." Without another word, Malfoy turned his back and made his way over to another section of books with a wide grin on his face.

Hermione could feel her cheeks reddening as she rethought what Malfoy had just said to her, grabbing the book that had fallen out of her reach and hurrying over to the librarian to sign it out. As the librarian stamped the card inside the book with an ink pad, Hermione glanced over her shoulder carefully. Malfoy was looking right at her. Blushing even deeper, she yanked the book out of the librarian's outstretched hands and marched out of the library, her heat beating wildly in her chest.

While walking back into the elaborately-decorated Great Hall, Hermione's heart didn't slow down until she had sunk into the seat beside Ron once more. She was grinning from ear to ear, though neither of her best friends noticed, and quickly hid it behind her hand as she turned her attention to their chest board; Ron was, as usual, destroying Harry.

"Checkmate!" Ron yelled, standing up so fast that he lost his balance. The back of his knees hit the side of the bench, and he toppled over backwards onto the Great Hall floor. Laughter roared from the remaining students in the castle.

"Oh, shut up!" Ron mumbled to a first year boy, who was in hysterics. The boy immediately shut his mouth and turned back to his older brother.

Hermione had stopped laughing, though her smile was wide once again, and she reached a hand down to help Ron up. He looked up at her with a nervous smile, swallowing hard as his hand latched onto hers – it was cold and clammy. Puzzled, Hermione pulled him to his feet.

"Are you ill, Ron?" she asked, her tone concerned.

Ron wiped his hands quickly on his pants. "No, I – I'm fine, Hermy… Err, Hermohnee…. Oh fuck, Hermione!"

Harry chuckled and Ron shot him a threatening look, shutting him up instantly. Hermione stared up at Ron, completely confused and a frown spread over her lips.

"Really, perfectly fine," Ron muttered. "I've got to go… wrap gifts." He quickly gathered the Wizard Chess board and pieces into the velvet box he kept them in, rushing out of the Great Hall in long strides. Hermione stared after him, frowning before she turned to Harry.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"Nothing," Harry said with a smile. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, _Hermohknee_."

Hermione smiled a small smile, shaking her head as she glanced over at the Great Hall doors. Ron was acting odd, odder than usual. Had she done something to upset him? Or was there something he wasn't telling her? She hoped that Ron wasn't going to pull something stupid on her.

_The next morning, at five o'nine…_

Hermione groaned and rolled over, grabbing a handful of blankets. She had only slept three hours in total and was not even remotely tired anymore. She had no idea why she couldn't seem to want to fall asleep, but her eyes flew open and she sighed exasperatedly. She attempted to adjust herself under the blankets when her foot hit something at the foot of her bed.

Sitting up and grabbing her wand, Hermione muttered, "Lumos Maxima," and stared down at the end of her bed. A large pile of presents was awaiting her, glittering in the light emitting from the tip of her wand.

An enormous smile spread across Hermione's lips as she scrambled to the end of her bed, sitting cross-legged and resting her wand on the bed next to her so a light would shine on the gifts. As long as she was awake, she may as well begin opening gifts. Grabbing a silvery white present from the top of the pile, Hermione began to tear off the paper and pried open the flaps of the box with her fingers. The gift was from her parents, and she reached in to extract a beautiful long, white blanket made of satin and cashmere, her initials stitched in the corner. The blanket was extremely warm and felt soft against her skin. Under the blanket was a smaller box filled with homemade sugar-free candy canes, a speciality of her mothers.

Hermione wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and grabbed a candy cane from the top of the box, sucking on it merrily as she reached for the next gift. The messy scrawls allowed her to know it was from Ron, and she removed the wrapping and pried open the box. Inside was a rectangular velvet box on top of a large book and a box of Sugar-Spun Quills. Hermione took the velvet box out and opened it slowly, gasping as she saw what it held inside. It was a beautiful gold chain with a pendant on the bottom, shaped like a star. Opening the pendant, Hermione jumped as it emitted bright red and gold sparks, followed by a misty image. The image was moving and showed Hermione, Harry and Ron sprawled on their backs in the snow, catching snowflakes and laughing; the same scene she had been in two weeks prior.

Beaming, Hermione placed the pendant aside and read the title of the book, smiling even wider as she recognized it was a book she had been dying to get for ages – A Thousand Simple Spells to Success in School by Robert Dragonforth.

After unwrapping most of the gifts, Hermione was pleased with the outcomes – Harry had given her a brand new quill, phoenix feather and bright red, along with a elegant bookmark that was charmed to dance along the lines of a book as you read it, and a beautiful purple and silver scarf; Hagrid had sent his usual treacle fudge and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans; Mrs. Weasley had given her a jumper with a wand sparkling stars on it, in white, and a variety of homemade sweets; Ginny gave her a golden pillow with a roaring lion's head on it, and a collar for Crookshanks; and Neville had been kind enough to give Hermione her own Remembrall. Now, the only thing left on the bed was a present wrapped in emerald green paper that shimmered in the light of her wand.

Curiously, Hermione picked up the present and shook it. She could not even think of someone else who would have given her a present, and did a quick checklist in her head to make sure everyone had been mentioned. Sure enough, she had received a gift from everyone she was close with – who else would send her one?

Slowly tearing the paper off, Hermione stared at the plain white box under it for a minute before she nudged open the flaps of the box. She peeked over the brim and her brow furrowed as she saw what the box held. Sitting at the bottom of the box was a single white note lying on top of a silky fabric.

Hermione extracted the card, which read her name on the front, and opened it to read:

_For everything I have done in the past, I will not apologize for I know that no words will ever make up for the things that I said. However, I can only hope that this will give you an idea of my true feelings for you. I am fearful to express myself to you. But perhaps now is the time to tell you the truth._

_I think I am falling in love with you._

_It is an emotion I have never experienced before, and something that will forever scare me. But it is the truth._

_If this letter and gift has done nothing towards the way you have felt about me, I will take your continued silence to mean exactly that._

_Happy Christmas._

_I'm sorry._

_D.M._

Hermione sat completely still at the foot of her bed, her heart pounding loudly in her ears as she reread the letter multiple times. Her eyes skimmed nine words in particular over and over; I think I am falling in love with you. If this was true, then why had he decided to be so hateful towards her before in front of his friends? How did she know that Draco Malfoy would not do the exact same thing he did to her before, leaving her to cry her eyes out and imagine love to never exist. How did she know that he would not just hurt her again?

Yet, something about the letter intrigued Hermione. Obviously he cared enough to even bother buying her something. Quickly remembering the fabric under the note, Hermione set the white paper aside and reached into the box. Her breath caught in her throat as she pulled out an unbelievably gorgeous scarf, made of pure silk. It had the same watery effect as the Invisibility Cloak had, and was laden in so many deep colours that it was hard to know where to begin. It fell to the floor of her bed in a swirling pool of silk, and she slipped it through her fingers over and over as she looked at it.

"It's beautiful," she whispered to herself, lifting the scarf again and winding it around her neck. The fabric hung softly down her front in watery waves, and it felt unnaturally smooth against her skin. She held it under her nose and breathed deeply. It smelt like some sort of flower, though Hermione had no idea which.

Suddenly, it hit Hermione like a ton of bricks – what was she doing? She threw the box aside and leapt out of bed, throwing open her bedroom door and running down the stairs with the scarf flowing behind her. She knew her hair was a mess, she knew she was still wearing only a extra-large white shirt that fell to her knees, but that didn't stop her as she ran up the stairs to Draco's rooms and smashed her fist on the door.

Hermione waited until his bedroom door creaked open, and a tired Draco stood before her in green boxers and a black shirt. His hair stood up on end and his eyes were half-open as he adjusted to who was in front of him.

"Hermione? What –"

But he was cut short with Hermione swinging her arms around his neck and pressing her lips right against his. He seemed to know exactly what she was about to do as he caught her in mid jump, his hands in her hair and their mouths never leaving one another's. Tears streaked Hermione's face as she pulled away finally, staring up at him.

"Please, don't ever leave me like that again," she said in a strained voice to keep herself from breaking out into sobs.

Draco smiled, his own eyes watery as he took handfuls of Hermione's waves in his hands. "Why would I ever let you slip through my fingers again?" he murmured.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Short chapter, mainly because it's 12:30 in the morning and I have to be up at 7 – but I couldn't leave you guys waiting a day longer! The next update will be up much sooner, I promise. Review and let me know on your thoughts! Will Draco stay this way finally?


	9. Dramonie

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **A fairly quick update, just like I promised! I've gotten nothing but positive feedback on this story, and I'd like to be a suck up for a moment to thank every single faithful reader of this story. If it wasn't for the endless amounts of emails I get regarding people reviewing my story, adding it to their Author/Story Alerts, or adding it to their favourite stories list, I probably would not continue to finish this story. Here's some inside information on the rest of the story, kind of like a sneak peek in as to what will happen:

1. Hermione and Draco will have one final fallout, regarding the most confused feelings to come into the story ever.

2. The story will end after the fifteenth chapter.

3. Hermione will lose contact with Harry and Ron for two whole chapters.

4. Neville will make things very awkward for Hermione and Draco in chapter ten.

5. Draco will go visit his mother in St. Mungo's – will he take Hermione with him?

And those are only a few of the things to happen! Without further ado, here's the ninth chapter. Continue reviewing please, I appreciate you guys and your thoughts more than anything.

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**Chapter Nine:  
****Dramonie**

Draco opened one cool grey eye and flicked his gaze from the satin green sheets of his four-poster bed, to the walls of the Head Boy room. An enormous serpent was sketched on the wall to his right, its bright emerald eyes peering around the room almost eerily. On the window to the right of Draco's head he could clearly see thick sheets of white snow covering the windowsill outside and a hardened cover of frost hiding the view from the tall tower. The sheets were draped around his shoulders and he could feel the silky satin rubbing against his arm every time they moved. However, it wasn't him who was causing the sheets to move.

Rolling over onto his left side, Draco smiled as he saw Hermione's frame underneath the green sheets, her head resting in the Hippogriff-feather silver pillow and her hair framing over one eye and shoulder. She was still sleeping, her body rising and falling slowly underneath the blankets. Her lips were pursed and she was breathing softly, her cool breath scattering goosebumps over Draco's skin. He grazed one finger over her wrist, raising himself on one elbow and peering down at her. Very slowly, she opened both eyes and gazed up at him through her eyelashes.

"Happy Christmas. You're beautiful when you sleep," he murmured, bending down to press his lips very lightly against her forehead. Hermione tilted her head just at the right time so his lips missed her forehead completely to land on her lips. One of her hands slithered out from under her hair to rest on his cool cheek.

He pulled away and smiled sheepishly. "How did you sleep?"

Hermione sat up, raising her arms above her head and yawning widely. "Like a log," she croaked, her voice husky from sleeping. "I'm surprised I'm still fully clothed, to be honest with you."

Draco laughed throatily and wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, burying his face into the side of her neck and laying butterfly kisses on her skin. "Is that how you think of me, Granger?"

Hermione grinned and rolled away. "You can't blame me for worrying, with your reputation going around the school. Which reminds me." She suddenly stopped smiling all together and crossed her arms over her chest, looking surly. "Why did I see you in the common room weeks ago with Gladia?"

"I was wondering when you were finally going to ask me," he said with a smile. "That was weeks ago, like you said. At the time, I was confused on my feelings of you. You should know now how I really feel, right?" Draco reached one hand over and ran his fingers over the shimmering scarf that still hung from Hermione's shoulders.

She looked sceptical for a moment, but shook the expression away with a shrug. "I suppose you're right," she said. With a smile, Hermione crawled over on her hands and knees to place a single kiss on Draco's nose. "Who would've thought we would end up having feelings for one another?"

" 'A Malfoy with a Muggle-born? When hell freezes over!' I'm sure that'll be the reaction you receive from your friends," Draco said with a laugh. However, his words made Hermione's smile once more.

"My friends." She looked out the window, lost in thought. "We can't tell them."

"Excuse me?"

"Not yet at least!" Hermione crawled over on her knees and placed two hands on his shoulders. "If they find out about us now, I'll never be forgiven. It has to be at the right time."

Draco grimaced and looked up at Hermione's hurt expression. Of course, he couldn't tell Crabbe and Goyle about his relationship with Hermione Granger – yet. He would also have to wait in order to find the right way to tell them without coming off as a traitor to the family. There was no way around it.

"Okay," he said finally. Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around Draco's neck.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear before pulling away. "Can I go get dressed now?"

"I'm sure I can help you with that." He grinned.

Hermione giggled and slapped his hand away, climbing off the bed and casting him a sultry look over her shoulder before leaving his room. Falling back on his bed with his arms behind his head, Draco stared up at the ceiling deep in thought. Finally, he had found the only person who gave him butterflies and made him nervous of saying the wrong thing whenever she was around. Hell, he _had_ said the wrong thing whenever she was around. But she had still forgiven him for all the times he messed up before, and he wasn't going to be giving that up any time soon. He knew for sure that Hermione Granger was his first love, his first _true_ love.

Rolling off the bed as well, Draco threw open his wardrobe and shed his pyjamas for some day clothes. He chose a thick black cable-knit jumper and a pair of dim grey pants with some casual sneakers, combed his hair away with his fingers – which didn't do much, since it fell over his forehead once again – and pocketed his wand before opening dormitory door and making his way down the winding stairs. Once in the common room, and with no sign from Hermione, he decided he should wait for her; it may be his last chance to bestow one more kiss on her full lips for the rest of the day.

A few minutes later, Hermione came down fully dressed in jeans and a white long sleeve T-shirt, her hair neat and smelling fresh and clean. Draco beamed at the sight of her, rushing to the end of the staircase to catch Hermione as she leapt off the last step. He spun her in a circle, his hands holding her waist as their lips met in their most passionate kiss yet. Fireworks erupted in Draco's head as he held Hermione close, the one true girl he had ever had real feelings for.

I can't mess this up; not again, he thought to himself as they pulled back, smiling at one another.

"I suppose we should go down for breakfast," Hermione suggested as she was placed on her feet once more.

"Alright," Draco said, taking her hand and leading them towards the statue of Salazar Slytherin. He had his fingertips pressed together and an angry glare in his eye as Draco reached over and tugged at his left ear. Slowly, the statue moved aside to show a narrow, winding staircase that lead downwards. It would have been pitch black if it wasn't for the torches on the walls that lit up when they neared them.

Draco, still holding Hermione's hand behind him, winded his way down the staircase for a minute, both of them in complete silence, until they came to a stone wall in front of them. Turning to face Hermione, Draco released her hand and reached over to comb a strand piece of hair away from her face.

"One more kiss, because I won't be able to until much later," he said coolly. Hermione knew exactly what he was thinking as he said it since her arms wound around his neck and she stood on tiptoe to press her lips against his. They kissed for a long minute, embraced in one another's arms, before Draco turned to face the wall again. He pressed his hand against a stone, and the wall slid aside to reveal the Entrance Hall.

Draco hurried out from the stairs first, his hands in his robe pockets and his face set in an unemotional gaze. He heard the stone wall close from behind him, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked around at the students. Would their relationship – if they ever built one – become nothing but sneaking around the school? Would he ever be able to drop his father's words of advice about being prejudice towards Muggle-borns in order to build something with the first girl he ever truly loved other than his own mother?

The thought of his mother brought tightness in Draco's stomach as he followed a group of giggling fifth year girls into the Great Hall. He had not forgotten about the letter he received from St. Mungo's regarding his mother's mental and emotional state. Why else would he be staying in the castle if he had a home to go to?

"Morning Malfoy. Happy Christmas," Pansy Parkinson cooed as Draco slid onto the bench at the Slytherin table. "Did you – um – get my present this morning?"

Draco had received Pansy's gift – a moving photo of her wearing a snakeskin wrap and attempting to look sultry and seductive, along with an invitation to join her in the same scene that evening. When Draco had opened it, he fought hard not to laugh hysterically.

Keeping a straight face, he began to pile food onto his place. "I might've," he said nonchalantly. Crabbe and Goyle chortled knowingly; apparently Pansy had told multiple people on her plan for his Christmas gift, saying it was her main reason for staying at Hogwarts for Christmas.

Pansy frowned and blushed deeply, turning away from them to finish her own breakfast. Draco, still fighting to keep his face straight, glanced up as he saw a flash of light bouncing off the head of a brown-haired girl. It was Hermione, who had a noticeable skip to her step as she sat down beside Harry and Ron, and he saw her wishing them Happy Christmas and give each of them an enormous hug. Draco quickly looked back down at his food in order not to be seen by her. The more he continued to stare at Hermione, the more suspicious Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy would be of him. He was not ready to tell them about his budding relationship. Luckily, Hermione didn't notice him, and he was able to continue finishing his food.

After breakfast, Draco hurried out of the Great Hall in order to avoid Pansy as much as possible before he couldn't help but laugh in her face. He made up some excuse about needing to stretch his legs and began making his way around the castle's corridors. Streams of tinsel lined the stone walls at random sections, and house-elves were seen for a brief second skittering around the grounds in hats with bells on them. Crabbe and Goyle came hurtling out of a corridor, laughing and shadowing Draco.

"Can we see the picture, Malfoy? See how bad it is?" Crabbe asked, chuckling so much that he was red in the face.

"I'll show you later," Draco suggested, rounding a corner and turning to face them. "Thank you for the gifts." Goyle had given Draco a Sneakoscope, and Crabbe an enormous flask of Firewhisky.

Crabbe and Goyle stopped walking, looking at Draco with mixed expressions of confusion and pride. Draco knew he had never thanked the two in his entire life of knowing them, and the suddenness of the words had caught them off guard.

"Uh… you're welcome," Goyle said awkwardly. Draco folded his hands behind his back and smiled.

"I'm assuming you got my gifts as well?" he said. He had sent them each a box of sweets from Honeydukes along with a green and black striped scarf with their initials on it.

"It was, uh, really nice of you to send us some," Crabbe said, shuffling from foot to foot. Draco smiled and turned around to continue walking. He was determined to make Crabbe and Goyle become nicer towards others, so they would slowly begin to accept the building relationship he was planning to begin with Hermione Granger.

That evening, after shovelling the amazing Christmas feast into his mouth until his stomach felt like it was about to burst and everyone had left the Great Hall for the evening, Draco told Crabbe and Goyle to head off without him as he stayed behind. He had brought down his school bag with rolls of parchment, ink bottles and quills in it so he could write a letter to St. Mungo's regarding him coming to visit his mother at some point this week.

Moving several jugs of pumpkin juice aside, Draco spread out a sheet of parchment and scrambled in his bag to extract a bottle of ink and a quill. Dipping his quill into the ink, he paused to think for a moment before he began to scratch his letter on the yellowing paper:

_Dear Mr. Longstron,_

_The news of my mother's unstable state is no surprise to me, as she has been very depressed since my father was taken into custody at Azkaban prison. However, the news of her having to be in custody within the hospital for at least ten years is almost as horrible as her death. I am being forced to stay within the castle for holidays, since there is no longer anyone available at the Malfoy Manor._

_With your permission, I would like to ask if it would be possible for me to come and visit my mother. Let me assure you that no matter what state she is in, I will be able to get across to her somehow. I will also be able to ensure that I am strong enough to see her, despite her being in pain. You must understand how important it is for me to see my mother, as we have a very strong relationship with one another._

_If this permission is granted, I would please ask you to send a separate letter granting permission to visit so I may show a teacher here at Hogwarts, and please notice me on the date and time I shall be picked up and leaving._

_Thank you for your time._

_Sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy_

Draco picked up the parchment and scanned it over once, nodding briskly as he felt satisfied with what he wrote. He began to roll the parchment up and then turned to a school barn owl, which was sitting on the table beside his elbow and cleaning herself under her wing. She extended her leg to Draco, who tied the parchment to it and placed a gold Galleon in the little bag on her other foot. Extending her wings widely, the owl soared out of the Great Hall and out a nearby window.

Leaning back in his seat as he watched the owl soar away, Draco sighed as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Hopefully, the owl would make it through the night and return in the morning with a reply from St. Mungo's regarding whether or not he was allowed to visit her. He knew that it was a long shot, since his mother was probably in the worst state possible, but he just had to see her; he had to see what the damage his backstabbing father had done.

With no one else in the Great Hall and a lot on his mind, Draco decided to go down to the Slytherin common room; he had promised Crabbe and Goyle that he would spend the night, since he was now staying in the Head Tower all the time and rarely saw them out of classes. He slowly stretched his arms, yawned, and began to make his way down to the dungeons for the remainder of the evening. Hopefully, his mind would be clear by tomorrow and he would be able to continue on with his life, happy and carefree.

* * *

"Thank you so much for a wonderful Christmas," Hermione said as she wrapped her arms around Harry, then Ron. Both of them beamed back at her, though Ron seemed to be sweating and nervously glancing around the Entrance Hall. He had been acting this way for weeks, and Hermione had no idea why – he never told her anything.

"Are you sure you don't want to come spend the night with the Gryffindor's again? We miss you on the seventh floor," Harry said with a frown.

Hermione smiled. "I'd love to, but I think it will just be easier for me to go to the Head Tower. All of my things are there, you know?" The truth was, Hermione was desperate to get back to the Head Tower in order to see Draco once more. Neither of them had spoken or glanced at each other since this morning. She badly wanted to press up against him and kiss him for hours, like they had early this morning.

"Well, alright. We'll see you tomorrow then, yeah?" Harry said, bending to kiss her on the cheek before steering Ron towards the marble staircase and up to the seventh floor. Ron still looked extremely nervous and was sweating everywhere, which made Hermione cautious about what could be bothering him.

Excitement flooding through her body, Hermione turned towards the stone wall that lead to the Head Tower. She pressed her hand against the stone with the small chip in it, and the stone chunk slid aside to reveal the stairs. She began to climb up them, waiting until she heard the stone close before advancing up the steps any further. Her heart was beating loudly, and she was very excited to spend the rest of Christmas with Draco, possibly the first boy she had really ever loved – if he kept up his ways.

Pressing her hand against Salazar Slytherin's back and waiting until the statue slid aside, Hermione jumped out of the staircase and looked around the common room. Her heart sank immediately as she saw no sign of Draco, and the fire was the only thing illuminating the room.

_Maybe he's still downstairs_, Hermione thought. This gave her an opportunity to surprise Draco. She beamed and made her way up to her dormitory, scrounging around for something to surprise him with. She decided to wait for him on the common room couch, wearing something… provocative. She stripped off her clothes and slid herself into a pair of black panties and a matching bra, both lacy, and opened the scarf so it was a little wider to hang over her shoulders and down her body.

Staring at her reflection, she began to tame her curly hair with Sleekeazy's Hair Potion until it hung in very soft, shiny waves. She muttered a charm to emit a lavender-scented mist from the tip of her wand and swirled it around her body. Satisfied with her reflection, Hermione rushed down to the common room, sprawling herself on the couch and covering her stomach and thighs with the scarf to not give too much away. She wasn't entirely sure if she was prepared to sleep with Draco, but a sneak peek was always good.

Hermione laid on the couch, waiting patiently as the crackle of the fireplace hummed through her ears. Taking a quick glance at the clock, she saw it was nearing ten o'clock – Draco _had_ to be coming up any minute.

Ten-thirty… eleven… eleven-thirty… Hermione frowned as she glanced over her shoulder once more and saw that it was already midnight. _Where is he?_ She forced her eyes to stay open as she slowly began to feel her eyelids grow heavy. _You have to stay awake, Hermione_! A loud yawn escaped her lips, the blanket hanging on the back of the couch became very appealing to her, and she grabbed it to throw over her body. Before she knew it, it was twelve-thirty and she was fast asleep…

_The next morning..._

The sound of the portrait hole swinging open awoke Hermione the next morning, her hair scattered over her shoulders and the blanket only just covering her from mid-thigh up. Peeking over at the clock, Hermione saw it was nine in the morning; she had fallen asleep.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath, grabbing the blanket and sitting up on the couch. Looking over the top of the couch, Hermione saw Draco standing by the portrait hole… wearing the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday.

Hermione's heart sank immediately as she noticed his outfit. He had been with a girl last night; that was the only explanation for it. But still, Draco smiled at Hermione as she sat up and looked over him. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans and his hair was tousled away from his face in a boyish way. He looked gorgeous, but he was still a liar, still a heartbreaker.

"Hey beautiful, did you fall asleep on the sofa last night?" he asked, but his smile faded as he saw Hermione's expression. Her eyes were watering and she clutched the blankets around her body as she stood up, making sure everything was covered.

"You bastard," she said in a voice much unlike her voice – squeaky and cracking. "You fucking bastard! I trusted you this time!"

Draco frowned. "What are you talking about –"

"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL!" Hermione screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks before she could stop herself. "You are a lying dick! And to think, I was going to begin a relationship with you. But no." She shook her head and laughed at her own stupidity. "You're the same fucking Draco Malfoy that you have always been. This is the last god damn time I ever try to start something with you, Malfoy."

Draco frowned, staring at her with a confused expression. "What did I do?"

Hermione laughed again, more tears pouring out of her eyes. "What did you do? Do you need to be reminded of your disgusting act? Alright, well, what you _did_ is you left me here to wait for you all fucking night. And what do you do instead? You go around in the middle of the night shagging some slut of a Hogwarts girl. I bet it was Gladia, am I right?"

Hermione stormed out of the common room and up to her dormitory, slamming the door behind her with a bang and falling face first onto the bed, tears pouring out of her eyes and choked sobs coming from her throat. She threw the blanket from the common room off her body and wrapped the silky sheets around her body instead, curling up into a ball on the top of her bed and letting the tears stream from her eyes.

"This is what you get, Hermione," she snapped at herself, tears staining the silk of her bed. "This is what you get for falling in love."

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**Author's Note:** Kind of a short chapter, but longer ones will come! We all know Draco's side of the story, but will Hermione believe him? Find out soon! Reviews please!


	10. Further Interruptions

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** I know everyone is very nervous to see if Hermione and Draco reconcile, but it wouldn't be a Draco/Hermione story if they didn't! Of course they will, but you'll have to read for yourself to find out. I'd just like to take a moment here to let you all know that updates won't be coming in as steadily as I'd like, unfortunately. I have a busy week preparing for school on Tuesday, and finishing off my summer break. But I promise you that I won't be like everyone else and have you waiting weeks for updates. I'll try my hardest to get them out there. I'd also like to let you Hermione/Draco fans know that after this story, I'll be starting a brand new one involving another romance between them. I just finished reading an amazing story on here and it's got ideas swimming in my head for what I want to do after this. The story will star an older Hermione and Draco, and involve much more steamy scenes than in Forbidden Necessities. It will also involve an exciting business opportunity for both of them! Look forward to that… I think the first chapter should be up by the end of September. All that being said, here's the tenth chapter! I'm so pleased with where this story is heading, and I hope you guys are too.

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**Chapter Ten:  
****Further Interruptions**

Hermione stayed in her dormitory the entire day, never even leaving to join her friends downstairs for some food. She continued to lay curled up in a ball until the sun rose the next day – the twenty-seventh of December. It was only when the piercing sunlight from her window brought bright red through Hermione's eyelids that she decided to open her eyes.

Blinking around the room for a moment, she vaguely realized why she was still in her dormitory to begin with – Draco Malfoy, the lying ferret. _You're being ridiculous_, she told herself as she threw back the covers of her bed. She refused to let Draco's actions bring her down once more, and she would make the best of a horrible situation by spending every waking minute with Harry and Ron; they always knew how to make her feel better. Therefore, Hermione lifted herself from her lying position to sit up on the edge of the bed, although she immediately regretted the decision. Her entire body ached and groaned uncomfortably, and she felt weak as if someone had pummelled every inch of her body.

She stood up and, after wobbling on her feet for a few minutes, carefully walked over to the standing wardrobe. She threw open the doors and gazed at the mirror behind her clothes. Her eyes were red and sore from sobbing for one whole day, and her hair was frizzier than ever and stuck out in weird places. Her skin felt dirty for lack of bathing for the day, and she was shaking all over from lack of nutrition. Her face was pale white, and her lips were chapped and red from chewing on them.

Grabbing a fluffy white towel out of the wardrobe, along with a change of clothes and her bathrobe, Hermione threw the bathrobe over her body and tightened it. She slipped her wand into the pocket of the bathrobe and threw open her dormitory door, weakly dragging her feet down the stairs.

The common room was empty, and Hermione blew a sigh of relief at the lack of Draco Malfoy as she made her way to the statue of Godric Gryffindor, which led to the Prefect's bathroom. She delicately pressed the ruby glinting in the handle of the sword that Godric was resting himself upon, and it sank into the granite. Godric split apart to reveal the stairway leading to the bathroom, and she dragged her feet down those stairs as well.

The Prefect's bathroom was also happy, and Hermione blew another sigh as she dragged a wooden table from her left to block the door in which she had just exited from. She cast a simple locking charm on the main door of the bathroom so she would be able to have her privacy and began to turn a variety of knobs around the large swimming-pool bath. Hot water, thick bubbles, lavender-scented oils and candy-smelling foam poured out of the taps, quickly filling the tub. She then turned off all the taps, removed the bathrobe, and sank into the warm water.

Hermione remembered how Harry had told them about the wonderful bathroom in their fourth year, and she immediately knew why he spoke so fondly of it. The bathroom was silent, and the portrait of the mermaid was empty – though Hermione saw the swish of a green tail disappear under the depths of the water. She brought a granite jug from the side of the bath and dipped it into the water, beginning to pour the warm, foamy water over her hair.

Hermione didn't want to leave the bathroom, so she remained in its warm depths for a while. She began to do some rounds around it, feeling its warmth spread through her skin and into her insides. When the tub began getting cool and the foam dispersed, Hermione began turning on the taps again until the bath was filled with warm water once more, and bubbles covered every inch of her body. Coincidentally, she immediately forgot about the incident with Draco yesterday, and allowed the bubbles to intoxicate her.

Until the sound of someone running into a door broke her moment of peace.

Whipping her head around, Hermione saw the handle for the secret stairway to the bathroom turn and heard a voice cursing from the other side of the door. "Bloody hell, fucking head bashed into the door. Granger? You in here?"

Hermione made sure she was completely covered as Draco Malfoy managed to push the door open and knock the table on its side. He was rubbing his forehead with one hand, where a large bump was visible, and his other hand was clasping the other side of the doorknob.

"Yes, I'm in here," she snapped, folding her arms over her chest, even though the bubbles were clearly blocking Malfoy from seeing anything. "What do you want?"

Draco nodded his head towards the towel that was shoved underneath his arm. "I was coming for a bath," he said. "Good to see that you're up, everyone thought you were dead."

_I may as well be_, Hermione thought. She sank back into the bath, ignoring the burning gaze that Draco was giving her behind her back. She could feel his eyes on her, peering over her exposed shoulders and back. She purposely flipped her hair over her shoulder so that her back was fully covered with her curtain of hair.

"You don't mind if I join, do you?" Draco said with a sneer, padding his way over to the far side of the pool. "I promise I'll stay way the hell over here."

Hermione ignored his question and sank even lower into the bath, the foam covering her up to her chin. Draco took her silence as a yes as he took out his wand and held the towel out in front of him.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," he muttered, and the towel levitated in the air in front of him, opened and covering his body from his chin to his knees. He made sure the spell would last him before he began to strip from his clothing. Hermione tried her best not to look, but she couldn't help taking a quick glance when he had finished undressing. His shoulders were creamy white and a single, dark freckle was on his right shoulder. He had broad shoulders, masculine and thick, and his collarbone stretched against his skin. His legs, as she cast her eyes down to his calves, were not overly hairy. The visible hair was light blonde, and the muscles in his calves tensed as he began to lower himself in the tub. Hermione adverted her eyes again, and when she looked back she saw a quick glimpse of a single trail of blonde hair beginning from below his smooth, belly button – and firm abdominal – leading to the top of the bubbles, hiding his manhood from her.

"Much better," Draco said once he was sunken into the tub. He grinned over at Hermione and raised his arms to rest them along the edge of the bath, and Hermione couldn't help but notice how firm and large the muscles in his arms were. They tightened at every movement, and Hermione raised herself slightly out of the tub until the tops of her breasts were only just covered. She fought with her thoughts for a moment, debating with herself on whether or not she should ask Draco about what happened in the common room yesterday.

"What happened?" she asked timidly, raising her arms to run her hands through her hair. She saw Draco's eyes follow her movements, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"With what?"

Hermione lowered her arms again and frowned. "The other night…"

"Oh!" Draco immediately understood. "Hermione, you had that all wrong. I know it looked like I had spent the evening with a girl, but I didn't. I was with Crabbe and Goyle for the night. I never see them any more out of classes, you have to sympathize with me there. You can ask either of them to conform it." He grinned sheepishly, stretching his fingers so the muscles in his arms stretched wonderfully. "Not like it should really matter. I didn't know we were a linked couple, you know."

Hermione bit her lip and dropped her head, blushing. True, she and Draco weren't together, but the idea of him with someone else made a knot in her stomach tighten uncomfortably. When she had seen Gladia and him rushing down the stairs in the Gryffindor dormitory, her felt crestfallen and tears had welled in her eyes. She couldn't help the feelings she had towards Draco Malfoy; and now that they were there, she couldn't get rid of them.

"My point exactly," Draco said with a low chuckle, raising his feet out of the water and flexing his toes in the air before lowering them again. His face suddenly turned into a serious expression as he gazed over at Hermione. "But I don't blame you for being suspicious. I know I would have."

Hermione smiled shyly and reached under the water to rub at her stomach, which was growling. She didn't even realize that she hadn't eaten for over twenty-four hours, and her stomach was reminding her of that fact.

When Hermione looked back up, Draco was in front of her, his body only two feet away from hers. It was obvious he was trying to be cautious with her, considering both of them were completely naked in a tub in the middle of a Prefect's bathroom. Of course, a Prefect could walk in any minute by simply saying "Pine fresh" and "_Alohamora_" if they really needed to use the bathroom. However, Hermione was no longer worried about being seen.

"Look," Draco said slowly, sifting through his thoughts to pick the right words to say. "Can we stop being ridiculously stupid with one another? We both know how we feel, and we can't deny that." He took Hermione's hands in his own sopping wet ones. "If you would like no one to know about us still, then so be it. However, I would like to be something much more than just Head Boy and Head Girl, something more than enemies, something that we have felt for a while now."

Hermione looked up at Draco, her heart beating loudly in her chest. She suddenly became very conscious that she was wearing absolutely nothing and almost pressed up against Draco. He moved even closer to her, and she suddenly felt something on her thigh brush against her. Merlin, he's less than a foot away from me! How can I even possibly feel that? She swallowed and looked down, gazing up at Draco. His eyes were full of passion and lust, and he seemed to know exactly what was happening underneath the water.

"Hermione," he said breathlessly, moving his head closer towards her. "I've wanted you since the minute you sat beside me on the train in September. Can we forget our fights, our differences, and become what we both want to become? A couple?"

Hermione didn't answer him. Instead, she leaned her head forward so their lips pressed together in a fiery kiss. It was nothing she had experienced before, considering all of their kisses had been particularly passionate, and something about the intimacy of their naked bodies so close to one another made it much more real.

Draco responded by dropping Hermione's hands and wrapping his arms around her lower back, pulling her right up against him. She could feel… him… pressed between their stomachs, and her hands clutched the back of his hair as their mouths moved in perfect time with one another. Her breasts were pressed to his chest, and their legs were wound around one another underneath the depths of the foamy water.

"Draco," Hermione breathed, her head tilting as Draco's kisses followed down a line at the side of her neck. His kisses met her shoulder, and then grazed very carefully over her collarbone. He was nearing her breasts when her hands found his hair again and she pulled him up to face her. "Not yet."

"Why?" he growled lustily, resting his hands on either side of the edge of the bath behind Hermione and dipping to kiss her mouth passionately once more. She managed to pull herself away once more.

"Someone could easily see us," she whispered. "Besides." She pulled away and looked up at him with love in her eyes. "My stomach is begging for food at the moment, and I should be telling my friends where I went off to. Perhaps tonight, in the common room, we can… talk. And we can call it our official first date." She smiled at this. "Our first date."

Draco knew damn well that she did not mean talk, and a grin spread across his face as he bent to lay one more kiss on her lips. "Fine," he said, pulling away and swimming towards his towel on the other side of the pool. Before he grabbed it, he took an enormous breath and sank his head under, coming back up and flipping his soaked hair away from his face.

Hermione giggled and watched as he climbed out of the tub, his area completely covered in bubbles, and wrapped a towel around his waist. She then did the same, pleased to see she was also completely covered, and wrapped a towel around her chest, where it stopped at the highest point of her thigh. Draco walked over and met her on her side, combing his fingers lazily through her wet hair.

"So," she said after a moment of silence between the two of them. "What do you plan on doing for our first date then?"

Draco smirked and circled his arms around her waist, the towel around his own hips slipping slightly. Hermione was gracious enough to reach down and help him tighten it, her eyes never leaving his. "Well, I suppose we could have somewhat of a picnic in the common room, right in front of the fire. I can get us some food from the kitchen."

Hermione frowned, and Draco didn't understand why. Suddenly, he knew, and he rolled his steely blue eyes. "Oh Granger, can't you give the house-elves a rest?"

"They do all that work and ask for nothing in return…" she said quietly.

Draco sighed irritably and shook his head. "You are still the same stubborn book worm I met in first year."

"Hey!" Hermione frowned. "I'm not stubborn."

"But you admit to being a bookworm." Hermione blushed. Thinking this was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, he tipped her chin up so her eyes were on his again and became very soft and heartfelt with her suddenly.

"How did I end up with you?" he said with a smile.

Hermione didn't respond once more, but her frown transformed into a smile almost instantly, and she hurried past him to race him up to the common room. He was quick to follow.

* * *

Hermione was welcomed in the Great Hall with an enormous cheer from the Gryffindor table, to her surprise. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville all clapped as loudly as they could, and she felt completely happy once more as she sank into the seat beside Harry. She was fully dressed, her hair was dry and smooth, and she had even sprayed herself with some lavender-scented oil to match the oil she had used in her bath earlier; the bath she had shared with Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, her boyfriend.

The word boyfriend made her heart flutter happily, and she turned her head as she Draco walk into the Great Hall, grinning from ear to ear. They caught one another's eye and blushed quickly before turning to their own group of friends. Hermione's stomach was swirling with nerves and excitement as she anticipated their evening tonight. Although she had no idea what time she would need to show up in the common room, she was anticipating it more than anything.

Almost as if the owls could read her thoughts, the post arrived and hundreds of owls soared around the enchanted ceiling, searching for their owners. A tawny owl swooped down and nearly missed a jug of pumpkin juice as he landed next to Hermione's plate. Attached to his feet was a rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet, and a small cream envelope. Hermione untied the two articles from its legs, dropped two Sickles into the sac on its foot, and it soared out through the window once more.

Turning her attention away from her friends, who had all received their own posts, Hermione wordlessly handed Ron the Daily Prophet – "You reading that?" – and opened up the peculiar cream envelope. There was a single sheet of white parchment inside and a scribble of green handwriting over it. She quietly read it to herself:

_Granger,_

_For our "date" tonight, you should come up to the Head Tower at nine. I expect you to be on time, I will not tolerate tardiness young lady! And make sure you wear something revealing… did I say revealing? I meant practical. (No I didn't)_

_And I've changed the password for the tower, so no one will be able to interrupt us. It's butternut squash._

_Your git,_

_D_

Hermione smiled and peered over the letter at the Slytherin table, where Draco was peeking over the brim of his goblet and winking at her. She blushed and dropped her head, shoving the letter into her pocket before beginning to pile on mounds of food onto her plate. Luckily, none of her friends asked her about the letter.

After breakfast, Harry and Ron were debating on whether or not they should get some extra practices in before their match against Hufflepuff right at the beginning of the second term. Considering they were only missing one person, Ritchie Coote, so Harry had asked Hermione if she would consider filling his place. Hermione thought this over and, despite the fact that she was a horrible flier, she agreed. The rest of the Quidditch team – Harry the Seeker, Ron the Keeper, Ginny the Chaser, Neville the Chaser, Demelza Robins the Chaser, and Jimmy Peakes the Beater got up to head in a straight line towards the changing rooms.

Hermione changed into Ritchie Coote's uniform and was pleased that he was such a thin and small boy, since the robes were only a little baggy. She shoved on a cap that Ginny leant her, slid her feet into some second-hand dragon hide boots and gloves, and followed the rest of the team out of the changing rooms with a Nimbus One Thousand under her arm.

Since it was still December, the air that whipped around them was icy cold and stung at their exposed areas of skin. A crisp white sheet of snow lay on the Quidditch field's ground and their foot prints left two-inch deep indents as they walked towards the center of the field. Ron and Harry were carrying the box that contained all of the balls for Quidditch, and Ginny had already mounted her broom. Hermione stood awkwardly among them, feeling very out of place. She was no good at flying, let alone any good at Quidditch, but she knew Ron and Harry were only trying to be polite when they asked her to join them.

"Okay, since Ritchie's not here, this is going to be a little difficult," Harry said, rubbing his arms to keep himself warm as Ron kicked open the crate. "But Hermione is just sitting in as a seventh person and we appreciate her for it."

The rest of the team smiled at Hermione, which made her feel a little more relaxed, and Harry continued. "Needless to say that we are going to kick Hufflepuff butt next week, so there is no need to worry about one less team member. We're all ready?"

Everyone nodded and mounted their brooms simultaneously. Hermione followed suit, looking extremely nervous, and was the last to kick off from the ground as the rest of the team soared into the air. Ron was still on the ground, and he had just realized the two Bludgers, the Quaffle, and the Golden Snitch.

For a moment, Hermione sat on her broomstick, suspended in the air and completely still. She watched as Harry zoomed around the stadium, looking in every direction for the Snitch, and squealed in fear as Jimmy shot past her in a blur of red. The club she held in her right hand was shaking with nerves, and she immediately regretted telling Harry and Ron that she would join them for the practice.

"Come on, Hermione!" Ginny yelled from the other side of the stadium, diving underneath Demelza swiftly as she came roaring towards her to retrieve the Quaffle in her arms. "All you have to do is swing that club when a Bludger comes near."

Hermione nodded to Ginny, and turned just in time to see a black blur hurtling itself in her direction. She clenched her eyes shut, raised the club over her shoulder, and pelted it at the exact time the Bludger was about to knock her off. Opening her eyes, she saw that she had hit the Bludger far over the heads of Ginny and Demelza, who were battling for the Quaffle now, and towards Harry.

"Look out!" she screamed, and Harry turned his head, pulling his Firebolt to the right just in time to miss the Bludger. Hermione was scared she was about to be yelled at, but Harry looked pleased.

"If you could just do that to the other teams Seeker, Hermione, we'd surely win!" he yelled with a smile on his face. Hermione blushed and bent lower into her broom, slowing herself down to hover by the hoops near Ron.

Ron did an amazing backwards flip and knocked the Quaffle away with the tail of his broom before straightening himself again. He glanced up and, noticing Hermione was there, flushed pink in the face. Hermione sighed, exasperated, and turned to face him.

"Honestly, Ron. What have I done?" she snapped. "You barely speak with me anymore, we haven't actually spoken in days, and you've been acting like an idiot with me. I know you're fine with everyone else because I see you talking to Harry normally."

Ron mumbled something Hermione couldn't hear, swallowed hard, and then pointed in the field towards them. Hermione turned her head and saw another Bludger heading its way towards her. She rolled her eyes, lifted the club once more, and smacked the black ball as hard as she could. She sent it in a new path heading towards Harry once more, and warned him to duck yet again. Harry seemed to be laughing at this.

Deciding that it was useless to try and get anything out of Ron at the moment, Hermione edged forwards on her broom to guide it around the stadium, her club at the ready for any Bludger heading her way. She was pleased to learn that she was getting the hang of Quidditch, and cursed herself for not contemplating trying out for the team earlier. If she had known she wasn't_ that _bad at the sport, she would've tried out ages ago.

After a few more Bludgers came in her direction, which she swiftly knocked away from her, Harry called it quits. Everyone dived towards the ground, landing softly on the snowy surface and waiting for Ron and Harry to collect the Bludgers and shove them back in the crate. After Harry had chained in the last one, he turned to face the team.

"I was really happy to see the progress we made today," he said with a genuine smile. He then turned towards Hermione. "I swear, if Ritchie wasn't such an awesome Beater, I'd be kicking him off the team and asking you to join, 'Mione."

Hermione blushed deeply and the rest of the team agreed, clapping her on the back and telling her she had done a great job for her first try at Quidditch. They all made a beeline back towards the change rooms, where they changed out of their Quidditch robes and back into their casual wear silently.

"If you two have nothing better to do, I think it'd be a good idea for us to find a deserted classroom and start practicing our Charms for the beginning of next term," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Flitwick said we should be well familiarized with the Flame-Freezing Charm by the beginning of next term."

Harry and Ron both groaned, but agreed that it had to be done and began to sneak around the corridors of the school, searching for a deserted classroom. They finally came across one on the fifth corridor hidden behind a row of columns. Obviously, the classroom had not been used for some time since it was very dusty and had cobwebs building in the corners of the room. However, Hermione was able to arrange a number of objects in front of them in order to practice.

"This is stupid," Ron muttered as Hermione held up a piece of parchment to his extended wand. It was the second sentence he had said to her in days.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It is not."

"Why can't Flitwick just teach us the non-verbal form?" Harry asked as he viciously began to stamp out a fire he had started on a peacock feather.

"It's too advanced, even for us." She shook her head in frustration. "Ron, would just try the damn charm already?"

"Alright, alright," he muttered, holding his wand firmly in his hand. Hermione held out a normal Muggle match that she had nicked from Filch's office – in the drawer labelled "Strange Objects I've Never Seen" – and lit the parchment on fire, throwing it in the air after shouting, "Now!"

"_Frigus Incendia!_" Ron yelled and, to his surprise, the parchment remained on fire as it fluttered to the ground, not appearing to be burnt as he bent to examine it. He skimmed his hand over the blue flames, and smiled. "It worked! It didn't burn me at all!"

"Good job, Ron." Hermione was pleased to see that Ron had gotten past whatever had been bothering him before, since he rushed over to hug Hermione tightly.

"Shall we try now, Harry?" she asked as she stepped away from Ron's arms. She was still going to find out what had been bothering him, but when she had the opportunity to speak to him in privacy – without Harry.

Harry nodded and stepped forward, frowning. "I can't get it," he complained.

"It takes practice." Hermione lifted another peacock feather in front of them and scraped a match against the side of the matchbox once more. A tiny white flame appeared on the end of the match, and she proceeded to light the feather, throwing it into the air and yelling, "Now!"

"_Frigus Incendia!_" Harry bellowed, pointing his wand directly at the feather. To everyone's delight, the feather floated back to the stone ground and had burst from its white-red flames to cool blue ones. Harry picked up the feather cautiously, beaming as the flames danced around his fingers without any harm done.

"Excellent, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, clapping him on the back. Hermione beamed in approval and stood in front of both pieces of burning objects that now lay on the ground floor.

"_Aqua Eructo_," Hermione said, and a jet of water burst from the end of the wand to extinguish the flames. She pocketed her wand once more with a smile on his lips and turned to her two best friends. "Shall we go down for dinner?" she said, glancing down at Ron's watch to read the time. It was already seven-thirty.

"We shall!" Ron clapped his hand to his stomach, rubbing it in circles and licking his lips. "All that work made me hungry."

Harry and Hermione both laughed, leading the way out of the classroom and making their way down to the Great Hall. Hermione hung back as Harry pushed open the Great Hall doors, grabbing the sleeve of Ron's jumper to pull him back.

"What –"

"Can I talk to you later?" she asked, frowning up at him. Hermione deserved to know why Ron had been treating her differently for the past three weeks or so, and why he had seemed angry and confused about everything she said.

"Aw, Hermione, this isn't about the past few weeks, is it?" He frowned down at her. Hermione noticed how tall Ron really was; he must have grown an extra two inches over the summer, making him at least six foot four by now. She had to crane her neck to really look up at him.

"Yes, it is. So you know that you were doing it on purpose!" she snapped.

"Of course I know, 'Mione. But it's not important now, can't we just forget about it?"

"No!" Hermione frowned and crossed her arms. "Promise me we'll talk about this later. Well…" She paused, remembering her date with Draco at nine. "Tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Ron asked with a frown.

"I have a Prefect's meeting," she said. It wasn't a lie, considering she was going to meet up with Susan and Ernie to ensure they could do patrols in her and Draco's place for the night.

"Fine. Can we go eat now?" He had already turned to the Great Hall without waiting for her answer, and she let him go in this time.

The second night of wonderful food – Yorkshire puddings, roast beef, roasted potatoes, boiled pea pods, chicken legs, loaves of bread, custards, and chocolate puddings – left Hermione so full that she wasn't sure she would be able to eat any of the food that Draco brought up later that night. Glancing over at the Slytherin table, she saw no sign of Draco, Crabbe or Goyle along the long table. Pondering this for a moment, Hermione wondered if perhaps they were up to something.

"Hermione, look at this," Ron said from across the table. She adverted her eyes to Ron and grimaced; he had shoved two roasted potatoes into his nostrils, three into his mouth, and one in each ear. Ginny was shaking her head in disgust, but Harry was roaring with laughter alongside of Neville.

"Weasley!" McGonagall barked from the staff table. "Get those out NOW!"

Ron snorted, spit, and plucked every potato from their lodged area, hooting hysterically with the other two as Ginny and Hermione shared grimaced expressions at him. When Hermione turned her attention back to the Slytherin table, she saw that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were now seating in the empty seats she had been looking at before. Draco was piling small amounts of food onto his plate and was deep in conversation with his two goons.

After dinner, around eight-thirty, Hermione excused herself from the Gryffindor table where Harry and Ron were attempting capture the Chocolate Frogs that had come bursting out of their crackers. The fireworks from the crackers were still glittering over their heads as Hermione made her way towards the Hufflepuff table, where Susan and Ernie were happily finishing their puddings.

"Hey," she said as she took a seat across from them. Susan looked up first, her brown hair sweeping over her shoulders delicately.

"What's up, Hermione?" Ernie asked, wiping his mouth on a yellow napkin beside him.

"I know it's my turn to patrol for the night, but something came up," she said, folding her hands neatly in her lap and looking from Ernie to Susan. "Can I ask you two to do a big favour for me and patrol for the night? I swear Draco and I will take your turns one night."

Ernie contemplated this for a moment, glancing at Susan before both of them nodded. "Alright," he answered. "But only because you're a pretty decent Head Girl."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you so much you two," she said. She lowered her voice and hid her hand from the staff table. "Five points for Hufflepuff for your courtesy." She stood up, leaving the two Hufflepuff Prefects beaming after her and made her way back over to the Gryffindor table.

"I've got to get up to the Head Tower," Hermione said as she stood behind Harry and Ron. "I'm not feeling that well."

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, though Ron had a curious expression on his face and interrupted Hermione before she could answer.

"I thought you had a Prefects meeting," he said.

Hermione tried her best not to blush. "I cancelled it, since my stomach's not feeling quite alright. Don't worry, it's nothing so serious that I'll need to go to the Hospital Wing," she said quickly after looking at Harry's worried expression.

"Lots of bed rest then," Harry said, reaching behind him to give her hand a squeeze before almost tackling over Ginny to get a Chocolate Frog that was trying to escape.

"Night," she said quietly, turning away quickly from Ron's penetrating glare as she made a beeline towards the Great Hall doors. She didn't even stop to look at Draco, who was still sitting with Crabbe and Goyle and talking in hushed voices. She made her way directly up the marble staircase towards the Head Tower, where the portrait of Dumbledore was waiting for her. He had a yo-yo dangling by a string on his ring finger, tossing it up and down on its string with a delighted smile. He glanced up from his yo-yo as he saw Hermione arrive.

"I've just taught it how to play dead," he said in a delighted voice, letting the yo-yo dangle motionlessly on the end of its string before rolling it back up into his hand.

"That's wonderful, Professor," Hermione said with a small smile. "Butternut squash."

"That's the ticket!" Dumbledore beamed before he swung himself forwards, and Hermione began to climb into the portrait hole. She paused as she heard footsteps advancing from behind her, and turned to see Draco walking up the stairs.

"You shouldn't be going in yet," he said, ignoring the fact that Dumbledore could hear every word they were saying on the other side of the doorway.

Hermione backed herself out of the portrait hole and closed it, winding them around a corner so they were out of sight from Dumbledore. She grinned and crossed her arms. "Well, you seemed to be discussing something very important with your goons back there."

Draco grinned, and grabbed Hermione's hips as he pressed her against the cool stone tower walls. "You're a sneaky one, aren't you Granger?"

Hermione grinned and loosely hung her arms around his neck. "That I am, Malfoy," she purred on his lips.

Before he could control himself, Draco smashed his lips into Hermione and pressed hard up against the wall. His hands freely roamed the front of her torso and his tongue traced a line at her lips, while she let out a soft moan of pleasure.

"Err –"

Hermione and Draco whipped their heads away from one another to see Neville Longbottom standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at them and shifting from foot to foot.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Longest chapter yet! See, I promised you guys. This was a lot of fun to write, because it had a lot of similarities to the original Harry Potter books, although I added my own personal touch to it. New update tomorrow! You should all be grateful that I'm such a nice person and updating loads before school begins. What's Neville going to do?! Thanks for reading!


	11. St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Mala

**NOTE:** This chapter would've been up 4 hours ago, but FanFic is having issues with the Document Manager I'm assuming and therefore I couldn't upload it... It's still having issues. So you know what I did? I "edited" the 10th chapter document, copy and pasted the new chapter in, and worked from here. See what I do to satisfy the readers?!

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **Third update in two days? You guys know I'm spoiling you and making up for my lack of updates for a week, as well as my update shortage in the next week coming up. This is great considering I'm going through some personal stuff right now (coughSTUPIDBOYScough). Anyway… I'd like to take a minute here to say that I would absolutely love to be a beta for someone, although I'm not sure if I could handle it with a) The stories that I need to complete and update, and b) School is coming closer and closer. I need some advice for a moment here – should I or shouldn't I? Plus, I'm not entirely sure if my grammar and spelling is up to everyone's standards. I think it's far from horrible, at least. Enough blabbering though; this chapter is going to get very steamy and very heartbreaking (but not for Dramonie!) And don't get confused by the sudden change during the steamy scene, where you get an idea into both of their heads. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Eleven:  
****St. Mungos' Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**

"Neville!"

Hermione quickly shoved Draco away from her, wiping her mouth and adjusting her jumper so the hem sat neatly at the waistband of her jeans. Her heart was pounding with a mixture of lust for the moment she and Draco had just shared, and in fear that Neville would run off to tell everyone what he had just seen.

"I…" Neville clasped his hands nervously in front of him, unsure of how to respond. "I-I was just coming to ask you for some h-help with my P-potions work."

Hermione frowned and looked over at Draco, whose chest was rising and falling in shock. He glanced from Hermione to Neville nervously, waiting for someone to speak. When it was apparent that Draco wasn't going to say a word to Neville, Hermione spoke first.

"Oh, well… Maybe tomorrow, Neville." She paused and bit the inside of her lip, completely unsure of what to do next. "Can I have a word with you for a minute?"

When Neville nodded, Hermione walked down to meet him at the bottom of the steps and guided him over to a lone corridor, casting a quick look over her shoulder at Draco. He took it as the sign she had been hoping for, and he retreated up to the Head Tower by himself while Hermione brought Neville to a corridor off to the side.

"Listen to me, Neville." She took a deep intake of breath and clasped her hands by her stomach. "You can not tell anyone about what you just witnessed. It's something Draco and I are trying to keep secret."

"But –"

"Neville!" Hermione pleaded. "Look, I know you are worried that you are going to be carrying a huge weight on your shoulders." She frowned, sifting through her thoughts before she decided to answer him sincerely. "But Draco and I are only keeping this on the down-low for a little white. Afterwards, we will be revealing our relationship to the school. I promise."

Neville seemed to sigh slightly after Hermione told him this, but he was still shaking nervously. "I-I might let it slip, Hermione…"

"Don't!" she yelled without thinking. When Neville looked taken back and even more terrified, she laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. "Please, don't say a single word to anyone until we have told everyone. Try your best, Neville. For me. I'm your friend, remember?"

Neville nodded and took an enormous gulp of air as if he hadn't breathed for days, his eyes brimming with tears. "I'll try my best for you, Hermione."

Hermione smiled and reached over to hug Neville, ignoring his flinch as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. "You're a wonderful person, Neville Longbottom." When she pulled away, she saw his cheeks were bright red and he was fighting himself to keep from smiling.

"Nah, I'm not that great," he said bashfully. Hermione smiled and rested a hand on his shoulder once more.

"Look, I have to get upstairs. I'm extremely tired," she lied. "I'll help you out tomorrow with your Potions homework, if you'd like." When Neville nodded a satisfied yes, Hermione sighed with relief and let him return to Gryffindor Tower. Then, making sure no one else would be rushing up to bother her or Draco, she turned and made her way back up the stairs.

"Butternut squash," she mumbled at Dumbledore, who swung forward with a look of concern. Hermione stumbled into the portrait hole and sighed loudly as it swung shut behind her, resting her back upon it. Draco was sitting in the chair near the fire, though he stood up as he heard her enter.

"Well?" he asked nervously. Hermione moved forward, smiling.

"I trust him," she said confidently. "He told me he wouldn't tell anyone unless we had already announced that we were together."

Draco smiled widely. "Wonderful." His face then became serious, although his tone was anything but. "Now get up to your dormitory and don't come down until I tell you to do so."

Confused, Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Draco was already guiding her up to her room, pushing her in and closing the door behind her. Hermione pouted and crossed her arms, staring at the door as if to telepathically tell Draco to let her out, but no such thing happened. Realizing she was being forced to stay in the dormitory, she figured she would prepare herself for their date.

First, she sat knelt down at the side of the bed and reached under it, feeling around the hardwood floors before her hand hit what she had been looking for. She then pulled out a small cauldron, three times smaller than the one she used for Potions class, which had the words _Sleekeazy's Hair Potion_ scrawled across the front in glittering gold script. She dipped her hand into the potion and withdrew it, exposing the white glue-like liquid that was now all over her fingers. She began to comb large amounts of it through her hair, throwing open a copy of _Witch Weekly_ on the ground to read as she slowly and carefully combed it through her hair.

Once her hair was smooth and sleek down her back, Hermione began to scrounge through her wardrobe, tossing articles of clothing behind her so they landed in a crumpled mess on the floor by her bed. She stood up straight and frowned when she realized she had very little clothes that would be considered "sexy" and would impress Draco. She turned to the pile of clothes, sighed, and finally opted for a V-neck black jumper and white jeans that she tucked into black boots. She began yanking the V of her jumper to have more cleavage show, and was in the process of tugging on her tighter-than-usual white jeans – perhaps she shouldn't have had that extra Yorkshire pudding at dinner – when she froze as she saw Draco's head sticking in a crack in the door, grinning broadly.

"What a sight," he said sheepishly. "You can come down when you're done hopping around." He closed the door, leaving Hermione to stand there with her jeans unbuttoned, her hands attempting to yank them onto her hips, and a flush of red over her cheeks. She collapsed back on the bed, buttoned up her jeans, and pulled the hem of her jumper down before doing a quick check in the mirror to ensure she looked good before climbing her way down the stairs to meet with Draco in the common room. She gasped the minute her foot hit the bottom of the stairs.

Peering around the room, Hermione was astonished at what she saw. Candles were floating in the air around the enormous plush couch of the common room, which was facing the large table in front of the fireplace. The fireplace was crackling merrily, and an arrangement of food could be seen from the light flickering off the table – stacks of cakes, jars of Butterbeer and Firewhisky, a loaf of bread, some marmalade, and an assortment of fruit. A large blanket was folded on the back of the couch, the same one Hermione had dragged up to her common room two days before, and Draco was in the middle of making the last candle float when he turned to Hermione and smiled.

"Surprise," he said softly, pocketing his wand and walking over to Hermione. He wrapped his arms around her waist, smiled down at her, and dipped his head down to plant a single, soft kiss on her lips. "Pleased with what you see, Granger?"

Hermione smiled and gazed over her shoulder, contemplating the question he had asked. "Could use more candles, in my opinion…"

"Oh, shut up and go sit on the couch," he said, smacking her rear gently as she left his arms and proceeded to head to the couch.

Once she was settled into it, Draco joined in and poured them each a goblet full of Butterbeer, handing her one and clinking the side of his own against it. He sank into the seat beside her, resting his arm on the back of the sofa and sighing as the warmth of the beverage and the fireplace washed over him.

"What did you do with yourself today, git?" Hermione asked with a smirk, settling herself right into the nook of Draco's arm. She inhaled deeply; he smelt like soap, the lavender oil from earlier, and musky cologne. She pressed her head deeper into his arm to inhale more of him.

Draco let his arm fall over her shoulders as he grinned at her question. "Crabbe, Goyle and I went to torment some first years into giving us their Hogsmeade money."

Hermione frowned and looked up at him. "That's horrible, Draco," she said darkly.

Draco laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm only kidding, relax. What about you, my darling?" He said 'my darling' particularly sarcastically.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was a stand in for Ritchie Coote on the Gryffindor team practice," she said cheerfully.

Draco raised one perfect eyebrow and looked down at her. "I thought you were terrified of heights," he pondered. "What position is he again?"

"Beater, and I am terrified of heights." She shrugged as if it was no big deal. "When I was on the broom, I felt invincible and graceful. For some reason, zooming around the Quidditch pitch with my friends made me feel different then when I was on the back of a Hippogriff in third year with Harry."

Draco grinned. "I knew you two were up to that."

She rolled her eyes. "I think a lot of people figured it out." She sat up slightly in the couch and lowered her head to his shoulder. "I rather like Quidditch."

"Now you know why I'm Seeker," he pestered, prodding at her stomach with his finger. "That extra Yorkshire pudding didn't do you justice, did it?" When Hermione self-consciously grabbed her stomach and gasped, Draco chuckled and wrapped both his arms around her. "You're beautiful even when you're a little bloated."

"You're horrible!" she hissed, shoving at his chest to get away, but he held her tight and kissed her forehead softly.

"I am joking. If anything, you could do for a little meat on your bones, Granger. I think you lost twenty pounds when you locked yourself up in your room for a full day."

"Not possible, Malfoy," she growled, though a smile spread across her lips. "I could barely fit into my jeans, and I easily slid into them last week."

"You can not even tell the difference," he murmured into her hair. "If anything, they are much more appealing when they're clinging to your skin."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she attempted to roll herself onto her back. She somehow managed with Draco's arm still wrapped around her, and laid the back of her head in his lap. "Feed me," she said with a smile.

"Like you need more food, tight pants." He grinned at her glare and reached over to remove a grape from the fruit bowl, bringing it to Hermione's lips and smiling as she watched her straining her neck to reach it. He kept it just out of her lips' reach and dangled it over her carelessly.

"Give me the fucking grape," she snapped, and Draco broke into hysteric fits of laughter as he let the grape drop into her mouth.

"My, my, Granger, you're quite the rude one," he cooed. She didn't say a word as she chewed on the grape, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she bit down on the fruit.

"You're one to talk," she mumbled, swallowing the chewed up grape. She opened her mouth as if to say she wanted another one.

"No," he said sternly before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers, his head upside down. She rested her hand on his cheek, her lower lip pressed against his top one, and she could feel his breath exhaling from his nose and tickle hers. She tried to lean up to be more comfortable, but Draco held her down and dragged his tongue along her bottom lip slowly. Then, as soon as it had happened, he pulled back.

"Why were you chosen as Head Boy?" she asked curiously. She wasn't sure where the question had come from, but seeing Draco jump at the unprepared question made her grin.

"My charming good looks lured McGonagall to choose me, of course," he said sheepishly, polishing his nails on his sleeve and looking at them with a posh, stuck-up expression. Hermione giggled.

"I'm serious. I don't mean to sound rude or anything…" Draco snorted. She ignored him and continued. "But you weren't top of your class, you didn't do very much for the school, and the only thing you were really good at was Quidditch and being a royal pain in the ass. And even then, Harry was much better at you in Quidditch – no offence, but he is." She smiled apologetically at his hurt expression, though she knew he knew she was telling the truth.

"I'm not sure," Draco confessed, suddenly very serious. "Perhaps my father persuaded McGonagall to pick me, just as he had persuaded others in Hogwarts to do things for me, such as pick me to be the Seeker of Slytherin in my second year." He shrugged and absentmindedly ran his fingers through Hermione's soft waves. "My father makes horrible choices, as you may have noticed."

Hermione smiled sympathetically and finally sat up, turning to face Draco as she placed a hand on his cheek and looked in his eyes. "Perhaps, but he made the right decision of blackmailing McGonagall to pick you. Otherwise, I would most likely continue to find you repulsive and ferret-like."

Draco grinned and grabbed Hermione's wrists. "I always find you repulsive."

"Oh, fuck off," she snapped, but was interrupted by Draco's firm, soft lips pressing against hers. She melted against him as if he was a flame, and her arms slithered their way around his neck until her hands had found the depths of his smooth, silvery hair. She felt his arms wrap protectively around her as he pulled her over him, their mouths afraid to move from one another's as she straddled his lap with her body, her hands resting on the head of the couch behind his head. Her skin grew goosebumps as she felt his hands move away from her jumper to her lower back, the coolness of his fingertips sending a familiar shudder from her shoulders to her toes. He traced patterns on her lower back, his fingers running along the waistband of her jeans and attempting to slip under them. However, the tightness of the fabric caused as a problem. He pulled away from her.

"Holy hell, Granger, how tight are these things?" he growled, running his fingers around to her stomach and attempting to reach in there. She laughed.

"Sorry, pretty tight I suppose," she said with a blush.

Draco shrugged. "I'll have to make do with feeling your rear on the outside for now." And as he said this, his hands went around and grabbed Hermione roughly. She squealed in surprise and moved her body closer to him without meaning to. He grinned and looked up at her.

"Know-it-all likes it rough? Who would've thought," he said in a husky voice. She didn't say a word but smiled shyly instead. Draco lightly kissed the tip of her nose, tracing a line down afterwards with his finger and meeting the V of her jumper. "Could you look more like a tramp tonight?"

Hermione looked at him, insulted, before he kissed her on the bridge of her nose, then her cheek, her other cheek, her chin, and her lips. He remained on her lips, drawing a line over her bottom lip with his tongue. She replied by parting her lips slightly and he eagerly snaked his tongue into her mouth, his hand reaching around to grasp the back of her hair and pull her head in closer. The kiss deepened, the electricity between their bodies vibrated, and they grew breathier by the minute. Draco knew he wouldn't be able to make this last much longer if they continued at this pace, and he knew that Hermione felt the same; she began making little noises between their kisses.

"Hermione," Draco said throatily, managing to pull himself away from her but keeping his hands lingering on the skin of her lower back. "I need you too much to be good anymore."

Hermione didn't answer, but continued her kisses towards his neck and over his throat. Draco let out a moan, craning his neck as he felt her soft lips inching over his skin, and then decided it was too much; he pushed her back onto the couch and rose with his body over his. His knees rested between her legs, which he pushed apart, and his hands on either side of her face.

Staring up into his steely blue eyes, Hermione grasped the collar of Draco's jumper gently and pulled him down so their lips met in a fiery, passionate lip-lock. Their mouths moved in perfect time with one another and their tongues played gracefully in their mouths as Hermione inched her fingers to the hem of Draco's jumper. She was ready to make the first move if he wasn't going to any time soon.

When she held the jumper in her fingers, Hermione slowly began to lift it away from his body with one hand as the other hand dragged her hand along the warm skin of his stomach. She could feel every defined muscle in his abdominal, and she felt Draco shudder underneath her fingers at her touch. Managing to pull away from his lips, Hermione fell back against the sofa once more and removed the rest of his jumper. She took a minute to herself, marvelling at how perfect his body truly was – the thick muscles in his arms that tensed as he held himself up over her, the shadowed ripples that she saw when she peered down his front.

"Like what you see?" he asked huskily, and Hermione lifted her eyes to his face once more to see that he was smiling down at her. She smiled back and nodded, unable to speak at all as her mind soared through the thoughts of tonight, and the fact that she knew where this was headed.

Draco sat up onto his knees and brought Hermione up so her legs were around his waist. He then fell back to lie on the couch with Hermione rested on his stomach and his knees up to support her back. Giving her a cautious eye, he began to lift her own black jumper; Hermione nodded. With her wordless permission, Draco raised the jumper and lifted it off her arms, taking his moment now to marvel at Hermione's body. She had a flat stomach with only a little roundness from eating so much at dinner tonight, and her arms were toned and slim. However, it was his breasts that caught his attention the most. The tops of them were creamy beige and bulging out from the contents of her black bra, though she didn't have overly large breasts. A single freckle was on the right breast near the cleavage.

"Like what you see?" she mocked with a smile, and Draco grinned up at her. He then reached around to unclasp the bra she wore. Hermione shivered a little, either out of fear or excitement, but Draco continued as if he hadn't felt it. The bra was off, and he threw it to the floor as he gazed at her exposed breasts in awe. Then, very slowly, he cupped one in his hand and began to massage it. Hermione bit her lip as a tiny noise escaped her lip. Then, he bent his head down when he received the response he wanted and very gently grazed his tongue over her nipple. The sound she made was music to his ears.

Draco decided to continue on his mission of teasing her as he pulled away and rubbed his hands as if he was preparing to do something that would take a lot of elbow grease. "Now, let's go those binding jeans off you," he said with a grin.

"Oh, yours first," Hermione said with a smile. Draco rolled his eyes but agreed as he gently sat Hermione back and stood up, unbuckling his belt and whipping it out of the belt loops in one swift motion. Then, he unbuttoned and unzipped the jeans he wore and they easily slid off his body, leaving him in only his green silk boxers.

"Satisfied?" he asked with a grin. Hermione nodded and smiled, leaning back on the couch a little. "Good, because it's your turn."

Draco came in front of Hermione and crouched down on the balls of his feet. He slid his hands slowly up the front of Hermione's white-clad thighs and grasped the buttons at the waistband, beginning to try and unlock them. To his surprise and success, the button popped through the hole and he was then able to slide down the zipper. As the zipper slid, he saw the top of a lacy black garment of clothing._ How had I not seen that through her jeans_, he wondered.

Draco grasped either side of the jeans firmly and yanked firmly. They slid down to her knees. With another rough yank, he managed to pull them to her ankle – and pull Hermione towards him more, which she found amusing and giggled.

"Merlin!" Draco panted jokingly, reaching down to inch them over her feet. Finally, the skin-tight jeans were off and he tossed them aside angrily, grinning up at Hermione. The lace panties she wore left almost nothing to the imagination, and he swallowed firmly.

"Now how did I not see those through your jeans?" he asked. "With the colour of the jeans and the tightness of them, they would seep through for sure."

Hermione blushed deep red, and he raised an eyebrow at her response. Suddenly, it hit him; _a thong_.

"Granger is wearing a thong!" he said with a grin. "Let me see."

"No!" Hermione squealed between laughter as Draco tried to flip Hermione onto her stomach. "Get off me, Draco!"

"Oh come on, Granger, let me see," he said with a grin. Finally, he managed to flip her over and he peered down. He smirked as he saw two round pieces of creamy flesh separated only by a thin black strip that disappeared between. He immediately felt something grow in his pants.

Hermione flipped herself back over, her face bright red with embarrassment. Draco smiled down at her, which made her stomach flip-flop, and he leant down to kiss her softly.

"Very sexy," he purred. Hermione blushed once more and crawled back down the couch as Draco hovered over her. The only thing that separated them from continuing the deed was the thin pieces of fabric on their bodies.

"Draco," Hermione gasped as she felt something very firm pressed against her inner thigh.

"Tell me when, love," he whispered against her ear, trailing soft kisses down the side of her neck. Hermione knew exactly what he meant, and her heart began to beat harder than ever as she knew what was coming.

"Wait!" she whispered, suddenly remembering something. She didn't have a condom on her, and Draco would be probably break out in hysterics anyway if she brought out a slimy balloon-like piece of latex and told him to put it on. She strained her arm over to the table, grasping her wand.

"I'm going to do a contraceptive charm, and please don't freak out on me. I know it very well," Hermione said, smiling up at Draco's horrified expression.

He sighed. "What do I have to do?"

"Just slip out of your boxers and sit back."

Without thinking about it twice, Draco stood up and stuck his thumbs into either side of the boxers, yanking them down to his feet. Hermione sat on the couch, staring – he was well endowed in length _and_ width.

"You can check it out later," Draco said with a smirk. "Get it over with."

Hermione smirked, cleared her throat, and recited, "_Iucuditas occulto_!"

They both watched as a glowing light wrapped itself around Draco's length, then disappeared. Satisfied, Hermione smiled up at Draco. "I'm ready."

Draco smiled and came over to hover over Hermione once more, reaching down to slip off her panties. She arched her hips to help him, and soon the panties were off and thrown aside with the rest of their clothes. Draco positioned himself over Hermione, his erection pressed against her opening, and his eyes never leaving hers.

"Be gentle," she whispered, her hand reaching up to touch his face lightly.

"I will," Draco whispered back, ducking his head down so their lips met at the exact same time he entered her.

Hermione gasped as a searing pain went inside her, biting her lip as her fingers dug into his shoulders. This was, of course, her first time. Draco, fearing she was in immense pain, began to pull away, but Hermione shook her head and exhaled slowly.

"I'm fine," she said as the pain began to die away. Draco skimmed his eyes over her face, concerned, before he began to move inside her slowly. His hips moved back and forth and soon, Hermione's cries of pain were soft moans of pleasure. Feeling more confident, Draco rested himself on his hands on either side of Hermione and continued at a slow pace with her, their hips meeting at the exact moment and pulling away together.

Draco groaned softly as he felt himself inside her, dipping his head to press his head into her chest. Hermione was moaning his name softly, her fingers tangled in his soft blonde hair and her body rising and falling in time with Draco's. They didn't dare say anything to one another to spoil the moment, the immense amount of pleasure both of them felt then and there. It was only when Draco first spoke did Hermione truly feel blissful.

"Hermione," he whispered softly, raising his head to look down at her as his hips continued to thrust forwards, slightly faster. "I… I think I'm falling in love with you."

Hermione smiled softly, gasping as Draco deepened his pace, and murmured back, "I know I'm falling in love with you."

Their lips met once more and, although the passion was still there, the kiss was full of love. He was gentle, soft, ensuring everything was met for her before he met his own needs. His hand reached down to rub at her firmly as she felt herself reaching the peak.

"Draco," she gasped out, her fingers digging tightly into his skin on his shoulders. "Draco!" She repeated herself more loudly as she felt a warm, tingling wave of pleasure flow through her body, and she knew she had just had an orgasm. Draco met her with his own at the exact same time.

The two collapsed onto the couch, breathing heavily and sweating a little. Draco turned Hermione's tired face towards him and he kissed her again, sweeter and softer.

"Never mind what I said before," he murmured. Hermione frowned, but he smiled and continued. "I am in love with you."

Hermione smiled up at him and wrapped his arms around his neck to kiss him firmly and lovingly on the mouth. That was the only response Draco needed.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione made her way down to the Great Hall in a much better mood than usual. Despite the fact that she was throbbing and sore from her night with Draco, she was pleasant with every single person that passed her by. She walked into the Great Hall with her head held high, a bright smile on her face, and wearing a dress. It was perhaps the only time anyone had seen Hermione wear something other than a jumper and jeans.

Harry and Ron both turned at her arrival, and their jaws dropped to the floor. This was a similar reaction she received from the rest of the students who were staying in Hogwarts for the holidays.

"Good morning!" Hermione said brightly as she carefully slid herself onto the bench beside Harry. She reached for a bit of toast and the marmalade as Harry and Ron continued to stare at her, floored.

"H-Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, speechless. "You're…"

"Wearing a dress? I know Ron." She smiled and took a large bite from her toast. "I thought it was time for a change. I picked this up at our last Hogsmeade trip. Wonderful, isn't it?"

Ron nodded wordlessly, his eyes skimming Hermione's body while Harry smiled at her. "You look beautiful," he said. Hermione smiled back and kissed Harry on the cheek. He was, after all, her best friend.

_Meanwhile..._

Draco had just taken a seat at the Slytherin table with a wide grin also on his face. He had woken up this morning with a beautiful girl wrapped in his arms, sprawled on the couch in the common room with a blanket lazily hung over them. Now, it was official – he and Hermione Granger were in love and were a couple.

Draco glanced over at the Gryffindor table and beamed at Hermione as he saw her wearing the beautiful purple dress he had seen her in this morning. He thought she was a goddess, and there was nothing that could ruin his mood for the rest of his day.

A grey owl fluttered down to land in the pile of toast Draco had been reaching towards. He jumped and looked it over, noticing a familiar envelope attached to its leg. His heart sank as he began to untie the string and peeled the envelope away, dropping two Sickles in the owl's delivery bag. His fingers trembled as he began to open the letter and he read over the words to himself:

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_We have received your letter regarding our permission for you to visit your mother. After many discussions with fellow Healers here at St. Mungo's, we have come to an agreement. You will be able to visit your mother on the 28th of December, and we have arranged for a Healer to meet you in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts at exactly noon. Attached to this letter is a signed permission note for you to show to a higher authority. We are pleased for your arrival._

_Sincerely,_

_Durnan Longstron,  
Healer, Fourth Floor of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries_

Draco hurriedly looked at his watch; it was already eleven thirty. He had slept in with Hermione, and this was costing him valuable time. He wolfed down the rest of his food and hurried up to the staff table, where the note granting him permission was clutched in his hand.

"Professor McGonagall," Draco panted, flapping the note in the air. "I-I have to go somewhere. I have permission." He shoved the piece of parchment into McGonagall's hand. After she looked it over thoroughly, she gave Draco a sad smile and handed him the letter back.

"I understand Mr. Malfoy, but I am so sorry to hear of your mother's condition," she said softly.

"T-Thanks for the concern," Draco panted, smiling and rushing down the table towards the doors of the Great Hall. He had to go up to the Head Tower, collect his coat, and meet the Healer in the Entrance Hall within ten minutes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione watching him with a look of concern.

Eight minutes later, Draco was hurrying down the marble staircase and throwing his coat over his arms when Hermione came out of the Great Hall, closing the door softly behind her. He paused at the bottom of the stairs.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm going to see my mother," he responded, out of breath and glancing over Hermione's shoulder to see if the Healer had arrived yet. The Entrance Hall was empty.

"I'm coming with you," she said matter-of-factly.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Hermione, please." Draco trotted down to the bottom of the stairs and grasped Hermione's hands, holding them up under his chin. "I'm fine, I can do this alone."

"I know you can." Hermione leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against Draco's for just a second. "I want to come with you."

Draco bit his lip and glanced over her shoulder again. There was a man standing there in robes of lime green with his hands folded behind his back, waiting politely.

"You don't have permission from McGonagall," Draco said nervously.

"I don't care. _Accio coat!_" Hermione had pointed her wand in the direction of the Head Tower. There was silence, and then a stream of purple came rushing towards her. She caught it in mid-air and folded it over her arm. "I'm here to help you."

Draco smiled softly. He knew there was no way of getting Hermione to back down, so he gave her a kiss on the cheek to settle the discussion, grabbed her hand, and led her over to the Healer. Upon close inspection of the man, Draco could see he was about forty-years-old with dark brown hair that was greying slightly, and a broad face. He was much taller than Draco – who was six foot two – at six foot six.

"Draco Malfoy?" he asked in a gruff but polite voice.

"Yes." The Healer extended a hand and flicked his gaze towards Hermione.

"I'm sorry, I was expecting only one person."

"There's been a change of plans… Is it alright if my… girlfriend comes along?" Hermione smiled up at him as he saw the word 'girlfriend.'

"Of course." The Healer smiled and extended a hand towards Hermione. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…"

"Granger. Hermione Granger," she said, taking his hand and shaking it. The Healer smiled.

"My name is Durnan Longstron," he said. "We have a carriage waiting for you outside."

Draco, still holding onto Hermione's hand, followed Durnan out of the Entrance Hall and into the cold December wind. Sure enough, there was a large carriage being pulled by four winged horses, all pure white in colour. The horses were snorting and stamping at the ground with their hooves. Durnan walked up to the carriage and pulled the door open, stepping aside as he let Draco and Hermione in first. Then, after everyone was settled in the warmth of the carriage, he followed them inside and the carriage began heading out of Hogwarts.

About half an hour later, they had stopped. Draco looked out the window, confused when he saw the Hogsmeade sign.

"What are we stopping here for?" he asked, looking up at Durnan.

"We are Apparating from Hogsmeade to St. Mungo's," Durnan replied, kicking open the carriage door and bustling himself out. "You can not Apparate within the grounds of Hogwarts, correct?"

Hermione and Draco both nodded.

"Have you told received your licenses in order to Apparate by yourself?"

"No," Draco replied. "Lessons take place next month. Hermione and I both signed up last year for the Ministry of Magic lessons, but we're not fully qualified yet."

"Ah." Durnan made a tutting noise. "Then I suppose we'll have to travel together then. Right." They were now standing in front of the sign welcoming them to Hogsmeade. "Both of you, grasp my arms."

Draco grabbed Durnan's robes at one arm, and Hermione at the other. They both watched as Durnan turned himself on the spot, and then both Draco and Hermione felt the unpleasant feeling of being forced through a very thin rubber tube. There was a loud crack, and a moment later they were standing in the first floor of St. Mungo's.

"Ah, here we are then," Durnan said, shrugging Hermione and Draco's hands off his arms. "Good morning, Darlene!"

The Welcome Witch, who was sitting behind a desk marked inquiries, beamed at them broadly, showing off her toothless grin. Draco and Hermione grimaced a smile in return as they followed Durnan to the receptionist's desk.

"Afternoon, Lola," Durnan said, leaning against the desk and beaming down at the witch behind it. Draco came up beside Durnan with Hermione close beside.

Lola was about twenty-five with bright red hair that cascaded down her back and front in ringlets. She had bright green eyes behind her yellow horn-rimmed glasses, and was wearing bright blue robes. She beamed up at Durnan.

"Good afternoon," she said softly.

"May I have the files for Narcissa Malfoy please?"

"Certainly." Lola stood up and went over to a row of filing cabinets. She thumbed her way through the third cabinet and extracted a folder filled with parchment. She turned to hand it to Durnan with a smile.

"Thank you." Durnan tucked the files into his robes and turned to the two. "Shall we take the elevator then?"

Without waiting for either Draco or Hermione to respond, Durnan led them to the other side of the room to stand in front of what appeared to be a large black door. He took out his wand and swirled it in the air – the door opened and they stepped inside.

"Fourth floor," Durnan said out loud as the doors closed. The elevator lurched underneath them and shot straight upwards, stopping in what seemed like seconds.

"Fourth Floor – Spell Damage," a female voice called it coolly from somewhere in the elevator. The door in front of them opened and they saw a long, winding row of corridors and hallways in front of them. Healers in lime green robes like Durnan's were bustling around with files and patients, their wands out and muttering to one another.

Durnan placed a hand on Draco's back and guided him down the hallway. Passing by the open doorways, Hermione saw a familiar face – Gilderoy Lockhart was rocking back and forth on a bed in a room, a smile on his face as he mumbled something to the Healer that was caring for him.

After a few minutes, Durnan paused in front of an unmarked door. He took a deep breath and gazed down at Draco.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked timidly.

Draco nodded, full of confidence. "I want to see what that bastard did to her," he said in a voice much like his own. Hermione squeezed his hand comfortingly.

Durnan nodded as if he understand, placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. A high-pitched scream emitted from the room, and Durnan bustled them in quickly before closing the door behind the three of them to block out the sound from the hallways.

Draco frowned at the sight he saw. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, was strapped to a bed in every place possible. Her wrists were bound to the head of the bed and her ankles to the foot, a large strap covering her stomach. Her blonde hair, once beautiful and smooth, was now matted and tangled. Her pale skin looked even paler, and her blue eyes were bloodshot. She was kicking and flailing her body around on the bed, though nothing seemed to be moving from her movements.

"Narcissa, please," Durnan pleaded as he looked over at Draco, whose eyes were brimming with tears. When Narcissa continued to wail and cringe, Durnan hurried over to a table, grabbed a balled-up wad of fabric and shoved it into her mouth. After that, he swished his wand in the air and yelled, "_Stupefy!_" Narcissa stopped screaming and squirming to lie dead still, staring up at Durnan.

"We have to do that sometimes, in order to calm her." Durnan pocketed his wand and extracted the files from the inside of his robes. "Although that did take much quicker than I anticipated." He picked up a quill from the table and began jotting something down in the files before he looked up at Draco and Hermione. "You have twenty minutes to talk to her in this state, although I hope you realize she can't respond."

While Durnan went to attend to another patient, Draco and Hermione slid into the two chairs by Narcissa's bed. Draco didn't know exactly what to say to his mother, considering he had never seen her like this before. His mind was swirling with thoughts and tears were building in the corners of his eyes. Hermione reached over to grab his hand reassuringly.

"I'm so sorry," Draco said, lifting his eyes to look at his mother. She was staring back at him, her eyelids wincing as she was still suffering from immense pain even though she had been stunned. A single tear fell from her cheek.

"I will kill him, I swear I will," Draco said as he looked over his mother once more. "If he didn't just the Death Eaters with Voldemort in the first place, none of this would've happened. If we had just been a normal, wizard family, none of this would have happened. You wouldn't have tried to kill yourself." He suddenly remembered why his mother was here and anger flushed through his body.

"Why would you try to kill yourself?" he screamed. "Am I not a good enough reason for you to be alive? Do I need to become a Death Eater and get myself locked away in Azkaban as well? That man was a coward! You should feel no more love for him! He risked both of our lives, and for what? To feel important to the most hated wizard of our time? He was nothing! He is nothing!"

Narcissa began screaming again, and Durnan rushed in with his wand at the ready. "What did you do to her?" he snapped at Draco, who was sitting back in his seat paralyzed in shock.

"I-I…"

"Go wait in the hallway," Durnan growled, pushing both of them out of the doors. Draco turned to face the doorway of the room again to apologize, but Durnan had already closed it in his face.

"Draco," Hermione said softly, grasping his shoulder.

"I-I didn't mean…" And without realizing what he was doing, he burst into tears and sank to the ground with his face in his hands.


	12. The Dungeon's Confessional

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **So I just came back from my last final days of summer to see over 30 emails regarding reviews, favourite story/author adds and story/author alerts! This is by far my most successful story to date – 100+ reviews already? It's amazing, and I couldn't ask for better fans. Since I had such a busy weekend, I've decided to work almost non-stop on this chapter until it is lengthy and worthy of everyone's eager eyes. Currently, I have a spare period so I decided to come home, relax and finish up this chapter for you guys! Anyway, please continue reviewing. I'm so sad that the story's almost over, but I'm looking forward to making a new Dramione story! (I'm aware that chapter 9 is called 'Dramonie" for some reason, it flows off the tongue better) Enjoy the twelfth chapter!

P.S. I'm just giving you all a little heads up that there's a lot of fast-forwarding in this chapter. The reason being is that I'd like to finish the story on the fifteenth chapter and at the last day of their final year at Hogwarts. To do so, I need to hurry up and you'll find out that in the fourteenth chapter, N.E.W.T.s are already here. So I'm rushing things a bit here, but I promise very few fast-forwarding sessions will happen again for the rest of the story!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve:  
****The Dungeon's Confessional**

Draco didn't stop crying for four hours on the floor of the hospital, therefore Hermione had chosen to sit by his side and wrap her arms around him for comfort. He didn't move a muscle as tears silently poured out of the corners of his eyes and Hermione could only imagine what he was going through. Although Hermione had lost a grandmother when she was ten, she did not have to witness the pain her grandmother had endured as she neared the last minutes of her life. And Hermione knew, unfortunately, that if the Healer's could not calm Narcissa Malfoy some how by the end of a year, she would be killed. Longstron had told Hermione this in private before they had left the hospital to return to Hogwarts, and he had made her promise she would not tell Draco or anyone else. It was always very difficult for Healers, according to Longstron, when they had to lay a resident to eternal slumber while the children knew nothing of it. In some cases, it was not necessary – although those very few that are suffering immense pain with no cure given should not have to endure the pain for any longer.

Hermione didn't bother to say a word to Draco on their way back to Hogwarts in the carriages. She respected him and cared for him; she knew he would have to have his time to himself to calm down and try to relax. It killed Hermione to see him in so much pain, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Therefore, when they arrived at Hogwarts and were escorted back inside, Hermione didn't stop Draco when he made his way up to the Head Tower. She stood in the Entrance Hall, clutching the coat around her body and watching his back grow smaller and smaller up the marble staircase, before she decided it was time to go get some food with Harry and Ron in the Great Hall.

When Hermione opened the doors to the Great Hall, she saw Harry and Ron chewing on their food and laughing hysterically at a joke Seamus had just told them. Obviously, it was a "you-had-to-be-there" moment, since Hermione walked in on the end of the joke and didn't understand the humour in it at all.

"…and I told her 'that's not what you said last night!'" Seamus roared through tears of laughter, hooting and slamming his fist on the table. Hermione looked taken back as she slid onto the bench next to Harry.

"Where'd…you disappear to for… five hours?" Harry panted, wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve and trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, I just went to the library to look through some things," Hermione said matter-of-factly. She tucked her jacket underneath her so she could sit on it, the cold wood of the bench tickling her bare skin.

"With your jacket?" Ron asked curiously, pointing underneath her rear with a speared roasted potato.

"And I went for a walk, to think over school work I've been having trouble with," she responded. Hermione was surprised at how calm and nonchalant she sounded, as if she really had just been doing those things. To her delight, Ron didn't spit back another word as he continued to munch through the rest of his dinner.

_An hour later..._

When they had finished eating, Hermione joined them for a walk down to Hagrid's for a cup of tea and some rock hard treacle fudge. Fang was sporting a new collar Hagrid had given him for Christmas; it was thick, made of dragon hide, and had sharp dragon's teeth poking out to form spikes. It had reminded Hermione of something she had seen a bloodhound wearing back at home.

After the tea – there really was not much left to talk about with Hagrid, since nothing remotely exciting had happened since sixth year – Hermione, Harry and Ron returned back to the school. Harry and Ron went to bed early for once, and it was Hermione's turn to do the patrols for the evening. So, after saying goodnight to her best friends, she went up to the Head Tower to retrieve her robes and Head Girl badge.

Arriving at the Head Tower, Hermione saw that Dumbledore looked very concerned. He was sitting in his chair within the portrait with his yo-yo on the table to his right, his eyes no longer twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Butternut squash," she said softly, frowning at Dumbledore. "Is there something wrong?"

"Make sure to check on Mr. Malfoy," was the only thing Dumbledore said before he swung open and revealed the entranceway and common room of the Head Tower.

After looking around, Hermione noticed that the common room was empty and therefore Draco must be in his room. She quickly went up to her own dormitory to retrieve her things, fastening the badge onto her robes as she turned at the bottom of the steps to head up towards Draco's room. She rapt her fist softly against the door and attempted to turn the handle. It didn't budge.

"Draco?" she said softly, her ear pressed against the door. "Draco, we have to go do our rounds." There was no answer. "Draco, please come out." Still, no answer.

Giving up entirely, Hermione decided she would do the patrol by herself tonight and give Draco a little more time to himself. She wrote a quick note explaining where she was going, attached the piece of parchment on Draco's door and left the Head Tower once more.

The corridors at night time always scared Hermione a little. She wasn't fond of the way the moonlight cast shadows from the suits of armour over the floor, or the way a mouse would scamper by under her feet at unexpected moments. However, with Draco on her mind, the night time's eeriness didn't bother Hermione in the least as she set off for the patrol.

The breeze that flew in through the window sent shivers riding all the way up and down Hermione's arms as she rounded the sixth floor, making her tug the shoulders of her robes tighter around her body. Mice skittered by her feet, making her jump back in surprise and bring her back into the present time. She would have to have a long talk with Draco, or do anything to make him feel remotely better.

As Hermione reached the fifth floor – and found no one around – she decided to check the Prefect's bathroom just in case. Usually, she didn't bother since she felt she may be disturbing a Prefect's – or house Quidditch captains' – privacy, but she had heard from Ernie and Susan that some first years had been sneaking in some how. Therefore, she turned to face the entrance and said, "Pine fresh."

The door swung open silently, and Hermione stepped into the bathroom. The stalls, which were facing her, were all completely empty and left open. The bathtub, however, was filled with steaming water, lavender-scented oil, and thick bubbles. Sitting at the one end of the bathtub, half-immersed in the foamy liquid, was Draco.

At first glance, Hermione immediately knew that he was feeling slightly better. His face, which had been paler than ever and had a slightly green tinge to it, was rosier. His eyes were no longer bloodshot, red or puffy, and his lips weren't chapped. He looked up at Hermione as she entered, a small smile growing on his lips.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, turning to close the door to the bathroom.

"I came here right when we arrived," he announced. "I sealed off the door until an hour ago to make sure no one else came in."

"So this is why you didn't answer when I was knocking on your room earlier, obviously," she said, coming over and sinking onto the ledge of the bath. Her legs, which were bare since she had been wearing a dress, crossed and she self-consciously tucked her dress in between her legs to hide her panties from Draco. _Not that it matters_, her brain told her.

"Oh shut up."

"Pardon?"

"Not you." Hermione blushed and began to kick off her shoes to sink her legs into the tub. "How are you feeling?"

Draco pondered that question over for a moment, as if she had given him a riddle. "I feel… different." He shrugged. "I'm not crying anymore, am I?"

Hermione shook her head to indicate a no and reached over to lightly kiss him on the top of his pale blonde head. "I'm sorry."

Draco smiled, taking her words to mean the most amazing thing he had heard all day. "I'll be okay, really. I just need to find somewhere to stay over the summer holidays I guess. Well." He frowned and looked up at Hermione. "For the rest of my life, really."

"Why can't you go back to Malfoy Manor?" Hermione asked curiously.

Draco shook his head. "There are still Death Eaters on the loose, and a majority of them are well aware of where my family lived. I can't risk living there. Besides, the thought of ever stepping foot into the house where my father lived disgusts me." He grimaced at the thought and sank lower in the tub until the bubbles reached his collar bone.

Hermione frowned. She would absolutely love to bring Draco to her home with her parents over the summer and help him begin his life as an Auror, a career she knew he wanted to do after they had finished at Hogwarts; but what would her parents think? She had cried herself to sleep at night some times with her mother, who had heard her sobs, questioning her in concern. Hermione had let it slip how much Draco Malfoy annoyed her in school; how she had wished he was dead. Now, she couldn't wait to jump into his arms every day and lay kisses upon his face and neck. What would her mother think of it?

"Come home with me," she said softly, bringing Draco's chin up to meet hers.

Draco had a strange expression on his face – it was a mixture of confusion, fear and excitement. "Really?"

"Really." Hermione smiled. "I would have to write to my parents to ask for their permission, of course, but it would only be for two months. My parents already know that I am planning on finding a place of my own after Hogwarts, even if it is very small and only temporary. By then, I wouldn't mind if you stayed with me."

Draco grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Asking me to move in with you, Granger? I didn't think our relationship was _that_ far along," he chortled.

Hermione blushed. "I – I didn't mean… oh… Draco!" she whined. Draco laughed and brought his hand up to take Hermione's chin, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I would love to live with you, Hermione Granger," he said in a husky whisper. He began to lean in to kiss her, but chose to do something else entirely – he grabbed Hermione's wrist and pulled her into the bath tub, robes and all.

Hermione raised herself out of the water, her wavy hair soaking wet and sticking to her body and scalp. She gasped for a gulp of air and narrowed her forehead. "That was cruel!" she snapped.

Draco smiled and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to him. "I am a cruel person, Granger," he muttered, and pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

Two months into term, near the end of February, Hermione and Draco had managed not to fight at all – except for mocking and taunting one another playfully here and there – as well as not reveal their relationship to the rest of the school. They had also managed to sneak away from their two completely different groups of friends to meet in the corridor on the floor where they had shared their first real kiss together whenever they could. Their classes were going swimmingly, and Hermione was pleased to help Draco with his homework without actually letting him copy the answers. Unlike Harry and Ron, Draco was eager to learn everything and would only move onto the next lesson when he was sure he completely understood everything from what they were working on previously.

With their N.E.W.T.s arriving sooner than they had expected, Hermione and Draco took every opportunity they could to hurry up to the Head Tower, push together every table in the room and spread out their schoolwork. Hermione was shocked at the amount of effort Draco was putting in to finishing his homework, until Hermione realized that he was attempting to get as many N.E.W.T.s as possible in order to become an Auror. They worked and worked and worked until the ink building up under their fingernails made them look filthy, and their eyes were brimming with crusty bits. Every night, usually around one or two in the morning, they would either return to Draco's bed to sleep – Hermione had been spending most of her nights sleeping in Draco's arms – or patrolling the hallways together and sneaking a hand-holding session whenever they weren't being watched.

Harry and Ron never questioned Hermione for leaving them to rush upstairs to the library or the Head Tower after meals and classes, since they knew Hermione liked to get an early start on exams. They also didn't seem to realize – or care – that Draco had been becoming less and less present in the hallways of the school.

So, you could imagine Harry and Ron's surprise when they saw Hermione opening the door to the Gryffindor common room on the last night of February with no books in her arms and not appearing to look like a study zombie. In fact, she wasn't even wearing her robes or Head Girl badge.

"Hermione Granger is alive?!" Ron gasped sarcastically, his hands springing up to either side of his face and his jaw dropping. Harry chuckled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Very funny, I've been busy. I believe you two should get a head start on your exams as well. Merlin knows I have less to worry about then both of you," she said with a mocking smile. Ron immediately dropped his hands and frowned, turning to his book bag and muttering to himself as he extracted his homework.

"Come sit," Harry said, patting the chair seat behind his back. Hermione crawled over the arm and sank into the warm, plush burgundy chair with Harry's head resting against the side of her hip. Glancing over his shoulder, Hermione was pleased to see that Harry was already working on his homework. Ron had obviously been extracting him though, since multiple doodles of penises and goofy faces lined the margins of his parchment.

"Oh for goodness sake," she snapped, extracting her wand and muttering an Erasing Charm. "_Deleo!_" The drawings disappeared from Harry's paper.

"Thanks," Harry said, frowning that the drawing of Draco Malfoy being hung from his ankles had disappeared.

Hermione sank back into the chair, her hands behind her head and sighing peacefully. "Where's Ginny?"

"Library with Luna," Ron muttered, bent over a roll of parchment as he began scribbling away. Hermione frowned and sat up.

"Here you go again, Ronald! You're acting so strange with me, and I demand to know why," she snapped, her teeth gritting irritably.

"It's nothing," he snapped back, glaring up at her and dipping his head back towards the parchment. Hermione began to stand up.

"Perhaps I'll just leave you two to finish your homework then; I can tell when I'm not wanted," she growled, turning on her heel and beginning to march towards the portrait hole.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry pleaded. "Please, just look over my things will you?"

Hermione turned to see Harry frowning at her, his green eyes sparkling behind his glasses and underneath his messy and untidy hair. She could never say no to Harry when he had done so much for her in the past.

"Oh, alright," she sighed, walking back to them. "Let me see." Harry's smile broadened as he shoved the roll of parchment with his Potions homework on it into her hands.

An hour and a handful of minor corrections later, Hermione decided it really was time for her to return to the Head Tower and continue studying. She had told Draco they should take a break for a while and go see their friends, since they had not really spent much time with either of their group of friends for a while. Hermione never asked Draco how Crabbe and Goyle were acting since the continuous absences of their leader, since she thought it would be rude, but she did happen to see them following Blaise Zabini around more often.

As Hermione recited the password to Dumbledore – "Treacle tarts" – and stepped into the hole exposed behind his portrait, her heart fluttered happily as she saw Draco bent over his parchment and books once more, scribbling away with his eyes narrowing over the words he had written. He looked up as he heard a noise and smiled at Hermione.

"Did you have a good time?" he asked politely.

Hermione frowned. "Yes, but Ron has been acting strangely once more. I have to find out what's wrong with him, but he'll never tell me."

Draco shrugged. "Put some Veritserum into his goblet at breakfast or something," he said nonchalantly.

Hermione grinned. "Only you would do that, Mr. Malfoy," she said coolly.

Draco grinned back and set his quill down, raising himself to his legs and striding over towards Hermione. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled him close, looking down into her eyes. His breath tickled her lips and he bent to kiss her, a soft and passionate kiss. Their mouths formed against one another's and Hermione lifted her arms to grasp the back of Draco's hair.

"I was lost without you," he murmured breathily, pressing his lips against hers.

_A week later..._

Another week of their studying and Head duties came and went. Hermione and Draco found themselves spending even more time together to work on their things than being with their friends. However, both of them were suffering from stress and frustration since they had not had much of a sexual moment together since their first time months ago. Hermione hated that she would become so angry with Draco if he didn't get a question right, or when she would have to correct his homework for him. And Draco would equally get angry when Hermione told him he was wrong.

However, they always ended up making up and finding their way back to the common room sofa or to Draco's bed to relax and take a break. It was a hardship both of them had to endure for the time being, but they would be able to get through this as a couple.

On a particularly brisk morning in March, Hermione had parted ways with Draco at an empty corridor to meet up with Harry and Ron on the first floor and make their way down to the dungeons. The Gryffindors were sharing a Potions lesson with the Slytherins, and although Hermione could have just went with Draco, they were still keeping their relationship a secret.

Hermione ran to keep up with Harry and Ron, who both had particularly long legs and were striding briskly down the hallways to get to the dungeons. Though the dungeons were normally freezing, especially in cool weather like this, they knew that Slughorn would have a fire burning because he especially did not want to be cold. Therefore, they were eager to get to the dungeons in order to feel the basking warmth of the crackling fire.

Stepping into the Potions classroom, the three friends sighed a breath of relief as they found their seats at the back of the room, huddling close to their cauldrons and peering around the room. The windows were open and the cold breeze appeared to be filling the room, but the fire was burning so brightly and so warmly that they didn't feel the chilly air.

Slughorn stepped into the room, and Hermione felt she had to hold back a laugh as she took in what he was wearing. Slughorn was dressed in pink flannel pyjamas as though they had been designed for a larger woman, and his robes were casually thrown over his clothes and tied carelessly. His hat was slouched and slumped over on his head, and he appeared to not have shaved in several days. He was still wearing his ratty bunny slippers.

"Good morning," Slughorn said, stifling a loud yawn as he sank into the teacher's seat. "I apologize for my appearance, but I haven't slept in several days. I've got a bit of insomnia at the moment. However, we will continue with the lessons as planned. Today, I think it would be interesting if we prepared a truth-telling brew. If you open your textbooks to page four-hundred-and-sixty-nine, I will ask you all to collect your ingredients from the cupboards and pair up." And with nothing else to tell the class, it appeared, Slughorn slumped his head down and fell into a deep sleep.

For a moment, the class began to cheer – as if they would be able to have a free period – but Hermione shook her head and bent down to talk to Harry and Ron.

"We have to brew this, you know," she said softly. "N.E.W.T.s, you two!"  
Harry and Ron groaned under their breaths and stood up. Apparently, Draco had convinced his friends and a majority of the other Slytherins as well, since Harry and Ron met up with Crabbe and Goyle at the ingredient counter. Hermione began to set up their things and turn her textbook to the appropriate page when a pair of hands seized her waist from behind. She was about to scream, but a hand clamped over her mouth. There was no one there, however.

"It's me," Draco's voice whispered softly against the nape of her neck.

"Why can't I see you?" Hermione asked, barely moving her lips so others wouldn't give her a strange look.

"Because I'm invisible, of course." Draco grinned. "I nipped the Invisibility Cloak out of Slughorn's office."

Hermione was startled. "Slughorn has an Invisibility Cloak?"

"Apparently." Hermione felt his tongue lightly drag up the side of her neck, and Hermione had to bite her lip to keep from moaning in immense pleasure.

"I hate you," she said teasingly, turning to meet him but making it look like she was fiddling with her robes. Draco's hands grasped her as she felt them touch her cheeks through the silky, watery fabric of the cloak.

"I love you," he whispered, and when Hermione's eyes went large, she heard a cauldron shifting from behind her. She turned to see Harry and Ron, who were setting up the ingredients on the side of the cauldron. She knew Draco had returned to his station because he was now standing in between Crabbe and Goyle.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked Hermione as she turned back towards them.

"Oh, yes." She blushed and quickly rubbed her hands together to cause friction. "Shall we get started?"

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was putting the final touches to their brew by adding three drops of Veritaserum into the swirling black liquid. At the first touch of the liquid against the black of the potion, their brew spun madly in the cauldron and sloshed around the inside walls until it was bright purple in colour. Hermione knew this was supposed to happen as she slid herself off her stool and headed towards the front of the classroom. Slughorn was still slumped over his desk, his forehead on his arms and his snores echoing off the walls.

"Professor?" Hermione asked timidly, tapping his shoulder. "Professor, our potion is done.

Slughorn snorted loudly and lifted his head off his arms abruptly as if a loud noise had just stirred him. A line of drool was protruding from the corner of his lips and his eyes were blinking furiously as he tried to regain focus. He finally realized Hermione was standing in front of him, yawned loudly, and smiled up at her.

"Oh, Miss Granger. Of course, yes." He stood up suddenly, knocking his chair over and clearing his throat. "Excuse me class. But I believe it is time to test your potions. What I am going to ask you to do is take a tea cup from the shelves on the back of the classroom, dip it into the potion, and then I will take turns bringing everyone up to test their potion."

Hermione followed the cluster of students to the back of the room and retrieved a dainty white and purple teacup. She went back over to the cauldron and dipped the cup in, scooping up a large amount of swirling purple liquid that glowed in her teacup. Harry and Ron followed her actions.

"Very well then." Slughorn set down a stool he had been carrying in front of the class and extracted his wand from the waistband of his pink pyjama bottoms. "Let's see… Miss Parkinson, if you would."

Pansy frowned and hopped off her stool beside Draco, winding around the desks to seat herself on the stool. She was holding her own teacup, which Slughorn dipped his wand into. He brought it out, and Hermione saw the potion was the same bright purple as hers.

"Excellent work. Now, I will ask you to drink every last drop of the brew. Go on then."

Pansy looked down at the sluggishly thick liquid and Hermione leaned forward on the edge of her seat, eager to see what happened. Slowly, Pansy lifted the cup to her lips and drank the entire cup, smacking her lips and shrugging as if to tell everyone it didn't taste that bad. Suddenly, her whole body went rigid and her eyes wide as she stared around the classroom, looking from Draco to Slughorn to the rest of the students before slouching. Her eyelids drooped and she suddenly looked very bored.

"Is your name Pansy Parkinson?" Slughorn asked.

"Yes," Pansy replied.

"Have you been sticking your gum underneath the desk since the beginning of the year?"

"Yes." She said it with no hesitation and no emotion in her voice. Slughorn seemed pleased.

"Would you like to tell us anything that has been on your chest dear?"

"I'm in love with Blaise Zabini." As soon as the words erupted from her mouth, she screamed and ran out of the room. Hermione turned to Blaise, whose eyes were wide and his mouth was wide open in shock. She giggled.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione frowned and looked over at Slughorn, who was beckoning Hermione towards the stool. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Hermione cautiously got up from her seat and walked over to the stool with her teacup in her hands. She perched herself on the stool and looked down into the contents of her cup as Slughorn dipped his wand into it and extracted it once more.

"Whenever you are ready, Miss Granger," Slughorn said enthusiastically. Hermione frowned, glancing up at Harry and Ron, and then at Draco. All of them were giving her sympathetic looks as she lifted the cups to her lips and took in every last drop.

When the cup was empty, Hermione was surprised at how it tasted; similar to hot chocolate with a touch of pink lemonade. She smiled down at the cup, the taste being very enjoyable, until a lurching feeling yanked at her insides. A shiver of electricity ran up her spine, to her fingers and her brain. She pried her eyes open in surprise, staring around for some sort of help – it didn't hurt, more than it tingled. When it was over, Hermione slumped over her seat and became very sleepy very quickly.

"Hermione Granger is your name, correct?"  
"Yes," Hermione said. The words flowed from her mouth easily, though she knew that she was – in fact – Hermione Granger. The conscious state of her mind still told her that.

"Perhaps we can take questions from the class," Slughorn suggested, folding his hands and gazing around. "Mr. Weasley?"

Ron stood up, and Hermione felt the corners of her mouth twitch into a smile at the familiar face. But the question was one she hadn't prepared for.

"Do you like someone Hermione?"

"Yes," Hermione said immediately. Her mind had been screaming, "_You idiot, say no! Don't reveal the secret!_" But the words had simply flowed from her lips.

Ron smiled, and she felt her heart sink. She had an idea of what the next question would be.

"Who do you like?"

"Draco Malfoy."

Every single head in the room turned in her direction, every single mouth fell open, and Hermione felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes.


	13. Reactions and Secrecy

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **Fairly quick update I think, considering school began on Tuesday and I am uploading this Wednesday. Boo school… Alright, I feel bad that I left you all on the edge of your seats last chapter with the cliff hanger incident in the Potions classroom. I bet you are all dying to find out not only Ron's reaction to Hermione's answer, but everyone's reaction! I won't keep you waiting any longer, fortunately. Enjoy the thirteenth chapter! There's only two more after this.

P.S. A few people have asked me if I have thought about doing a sequel to this story set in the future. To be honest, I have thought of it, although I'm not sure if I will. I haven't updated any other stories since August 17th! And I want to write another new Dramione story for you fans, so it's highly unlikely. If there is a sequel, it wouldn't be for another year or so. Sorry to disappoint!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen  
****Reactions and Secrecy**

Hermione gasped and clasped her hands to her mouth as soon as the words escaped her lips. She didn't bare look at anyone around her and chose to stare at the back of the classroom instead, although she could feel their eyes on her. Tears stung in the corners of her eyes and she immediately clamped her lips shut. When she finally did manage to advert her eyes to someone, she flicked them over to Ron and immediately regretted her decision – Ron was staring at her, eyes wide, mouth open, and shaking his head in disbelief.

"You're… you're lying," he said in a voice that was barely audible.

"No, I'm not," Hermione said immediately, tears beginning to seep out of her eyes before she could stop herself. She looked up at Slughorn for help, who was staring back at her with the same expression of amazement as everyone else in the room. Her heart was thudding loudly in her chest and she felt something building in her stomach.

"Excuse me," she gasped, clutching one hand over her stomach and one hand over her mouth as she ran out of the classroom. She darted up the stairs and turned until she found the broom closet, unable to make it all the way to the bathroom as she yanked the door open, grabbed a bucket from the corner of the closet, and vomited. It was the worst experience of her life.

She heard footsteps rushing up behind her and refused to turn around, letting her tears stream down her face as she shoved the bucket aside. Then, her tears turned into audible sobs and she sank to the ground with her head against her knees. She couldn't stop herself from crying by now, since she knew what was going to happen now – Draco would be furious that she revealed their secret relationship to their friends before they were ready, Ron would be even more furious and decide never to speak with her again, and Harry would most likely take Ron's side. That left her with absolutely no one; no friends, no boyfriend, and no chance at being happy for the rest of the school year, and perhaps her life.

"Hermione?" a soft, familiar voice said from the right of her. She didn't look up since she recognized the voice, refusing to let Draco see her like this.

"Yes," she blurted, the truth-telling potion still in her system. Draco didn't say anything else as he sank to the ground in front of her, wrapped his arms around her body, and pulled her close to him.

"Please don't cry," he whispered in her ear, stroking her hair and burying his nose into her scalp. "Sweetheart, please."

Hermione stifled back her sobs and looked up into Draco's eyes, positive that she was red in the face and looked completely miserable. It appeared that Draco didn't care though, as he took her chin in his hands and kissed her fully on the lips. He also appeared not to care that Hermione had spewed her guts into a bucket two minutes prior.

Hermione pushed Draco away, however, as they both heard footsteps coming up the stairs; not that it really mattered any more. Hermione turned to look at the stairs leading up from the dungeons to see Slughorn, closely followed by the rest of the class. He had a look of concern hidden behind his same wide eyes. He was holding a teacup of golden liquid which appeared to look similar to molten gold.

"Drink this," he said soothingly, bending down to hand Hermione the cup. Hermione took it and drank it fully, closing her eyes for a moment and realizing that she was becoming herself again. Whatever she had just drank was reversing the truth-telling potion that was still swirling in her stomach.

"Perhaps we should take you to the hospital wing," Slughorn suggested with a frown. "You look rather pale, and it seems that you have already been sick. I suggest you have a lie down."

"Okay." Hermione stood up and wobbled a bit and, to her surprise, Draco grabbed her arm sturdily to ensure she was able to walk. She kept her smile to herself as she came face-to-face with Harry and Ron at the top of the stairs.

"Is it true?" Ron asked, his hands balled into fists at his sides and his face the same colour as his hair. He was gritting his teeth and breathing very heavily. Harry was standing behind Ron, not saying a word and frowning.

"I- " Hermione began.

"IS IT TRUE?"

Hermione cringed as Ron's shouts echoed off the walls of the Entrance Hall. Every student standing around them waited in silence until Hermione answered his question. Hermione glanced over at Draco, who was sighing softly to himself.

"It's true," she said softly, ducking her head. This time, Hermione had spoken straight from her heart rather than from the effects of the potion. She looked up through her eyelashes to see Ron laugh in disbelief and shake his head, which was tilted to the sky. "I can't believe this," he said in a much softer voice. "After years of Malfoy taunting us; after years of his comments about your Muggle-born status. For Merlin's sake, Hermione, he called you a Mudblood!" He shook his head, still laughing, and lifted his head. The gaze he gave Hermione made her icy from her head to her toes. His stare was full of loathing.

"Ron," Hermione said in a squeaky voice. "I –"

"Save it." Ron turned to Harry and shook his head. "We don't deserve this kind of betrayal." Ron began to guide Harry away, who was still frowning and silent. "Good luck with Malfoy, I'm sure he'll take you up to the hospital wing." And they turned the corner just as the bell rang.

The crowd stood for a moment, staring from Hermione to Draco, before separating into their own directions; the Gryffindors upstairs and the Slytherins back to the dungeons. Crabbe and Goyle lingered for a moment, staring at Draco for any sign of explanation.

"We'll discuss this later," he reassured them, resting his hand on the small of Hermione's back. "For now, I have to bring Granger to the hospital wing."

Crabbe and Goyle, both who didn't seem to be appalled rather than confused, nodded solemnly and turned their backs on them to disperse back into the dungeons. Slughorn opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, closed it, and followed Draco's goons downstairs. Draco and Hermione, however, slowly walked up the stairs to the hospital wing. They didn't speak to anyone on the way up, or each other. They ignored the stares in their direction and the mentions of their names in the hushed whispers of the students around them.

The only thing that Hermione knew was that she was extremely tired, dying to get some rest, and sick of every person except for Draco. At the moment, she didn't care if Ron fell off the edge of the lake this afternoon and drowned. She didn't care if Ron spoke to her ever again. She knew Harry was, as she had predicted, only going to ignore her in order to stay friends with Ron. Draco, however, had made her prediction of him completely wrong; he was still here, his hand pressed against the small of her back and his breathing very slow and steady as he guided her up to the hospital wing.

After reassuring Madame Pompfrey that Draco should be there to keep an eye on Hermione, the two of them were left alone in the room. Hermione crawled under the covers of a bed and propped pillows up behind her head so she could lay back. Draco took the seat next to her bed and reached through the bars to gently hold her hand. The gesture made fresh tears seep out of Hermione's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked worriedly.

"Oh, Draco." Hermione sighed and hurriedly wiped her tears away with the back of the hand that Draco was not holding. "I'll never have my friends back again."

"Of course you will," he replied soothingly. Hermione laughed.

"You are only saying that to make me feel better." She shook her head and bit her lip. "I know how those two are. It takes Ron a very long time to let something go, and Harry will always follow in Ron's footsteps as long as he will be able to remain friends with him. I'm left with absolutely no one."

Draco shook his own head with a small smile and leaned over in the chair. "Am I not someone?" he asked in a soothing voice.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, but you know what I mean."

Draco sighed and ran his thumb over Hermione's knuckles. "If those two are unable to accept our relationship, do you really want to be friends with them? Aren't they discriminating against me for things I have done in the past?"

"You can't really blame them," Hermione pointed out. "You did make the first five years of their stay at Hogwarts a living hell, you know."

Draco grinned. "Yes, but I have told you many times that I wasn't intending to do so."

Hermione knew this and smiled reassuringly. "You are a wonderful man, Draco Malfoy."

"And you are a wonderful girl, Hermione Granger." He paused to lean in closer, his free hand sweeping her hair back from her forehead. "I really meant what I said earlier as well," he said softly, his voice tickling her skin. "I love you, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes brimmed with fresh tears, this time of happiness. "Oh Draco," she gasped. "I love you too." Her arms flung around his neck and he held her close, their lips meeting in another passionate kiss as his arms circled her waist and pulled her close.

He pulled away to look down in her eyes. "I know you are not feeling well currently, but it has been a very long time since we have done anything very… passionate," he said with a smirk. "Perhaps when you are feeling better, I will be able to show my love for you."

Hermione smiled and kissed Draco's bottom lip. "I think I would like that," she whispered. Draco was right, she didn't need Ron or Harry if they were going to continue and ignore her based on the fact that she was the happiest she had ever been. They weren't her true friends if they could not see that.

* * *

The positive result of Hermione's confession while affected by the truth-telling potion was that she and Draco were able to freely express their emotions and act as a couple in the corridors of Hogwarts. Hermione was pleased when she left the Head Tower with Draco, hand in hand as they made their way to the classes they shared. If they didn't share a class together, Draco would walk her to her own classroom, place a light kiss on her cheek, and promise to see her later. It also appeared that everyone else was becoming accustomed to their relationship as well; less murmurs were occurring down the hallways, and people actually smiled as they walked past them. Hermione swore she heard Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil gushing, "Awww!" as the two of them walked past.

Perhaps the strangest experience for Hermione, though, was the fact that Crabbe and Goyle were now being polite with her as well. Draco had managed to have a conversation with the two goons, and they had promised him that they would not try to be rude to her or act impolite. Instead, they had offered her their seat at the Slytherin table many times. Hermione, however, felt she had already betrayed her house enough by dating the Slytherin Sex God, and chose to sit with Lavender and Parvati at the Gryffindor table instead. Although the two of them would immediately latch hands once more as they met at the front of the Great Hall and exited.

After another month or so, it appeared that the only people who were still not adjusted to Hermione's relationship with Draco were Ron and Harry. However, Hermione did see Harry smile at her in the corridors one day as she set off to her Ancient Runes classroom. Hermione knew that if one was to crack before the other and accept her friendship once more, it would be Harry.

Hermione chose to ignore the harsh stares she received from Ron in the hallways, and even the few comments he made when he saw the two of them walk by. One in particular had scarred Hermione for the rest of the day.

"Bet those two are fucking, Harry. I swear I will never even look at her again if he's been touching her. If that snake dick of his has been inside of Hermione, I'll never speak with her again," he had said as loudly as possible in the hallway as Hermione and Draco had strolled by.

Hermione had been so upset by this comment that she had yanked Draco towards her Ancient Runes classroom to avoid showing Ron that tears were seeping out of her eyes. She refused to let that bastard she once called a friend see that he was making her cry.

With the temperature finally settling down in mid-April, Hermione found herself taking any opportunity she could to get out of the Head Tower and take stroll by herself. Yes, she loved Draco and loved his company, but she was sick of spending every hour barely talking to him and deeply immersed in books and rolls of parchment. She mad herself a path to follow, past the Whomping Willow and Hagrid's hut towards the Forbidden Forest, but never entering it. She would walk along the outskirts of the forest, letting her mind clear of thoughts and her mental state shut down completely.

After Hermione had finished her walk and began to return towards the castle, she noticed that the swarms of owls were heading towards the castle. Her heart leapt in excitement at the sight and she proceeded to sprint into the school and go to the Great Hall. Two weeks ago, she had written a letter to her mother asking permission for her to bring home a friend whose mother wouldn't be able to care for him for a while. She had tried her best not to explain the circumstances of Narcissa; she knew her mother was interested in the world of wizardry, but preferred not to hear of most things.

Hermione threw open the Great Hall doors and slid into the end seat of the Gryffindor bench, grinning from ear to ear as she stared up at the window. She glanced over at Draco and caught his eye. He gave her a questioning look towards her enormous smile, but he realized as he stared up at the window near the top of the school. He immediately strode over to Hermione and stood behind her at the exact moment an owl fluttered down and landed in her pile of eggs.

"Read it," he said encouragingly, massaging Hermione's shoulders in circles. She tilted her head back to smile at him and began to tear open the letter that she had unattached from the owl's leg. She removed the folded piece of parchment inside and felt Draco's cool breath against her neck as he bent down to read it over her shoulder. She shivered, and began to read to herself:

_Hermione,_

_You know your father and I would be nothing but honoured to keep your friend here for as much time as he needs. Although you didn't specify if it was Harry or Ron as you normally would, so I am assuming I have not yet met this boy. Is he someone you are emotionally interested in? I am eager to learn about him._

_Your father and I will pick you up at King's Cross Station on your final day, as usual. We would also like to tell you some exciting news; your father was going through our finances last night, and he discovered that we are able to give you twenty-thousand pounds towards your own place after this summer. Do not argue when we attempt to give you the money, Hermione. Just accept it and think of it as a congratulatory gift._

_We both miss you but we are pleased to see nothing horrible is happening at Hogwarts this year._

_Love you,  
__Mum_

Hermione was grinning so broadly she thought her face might crack into a million pieces as she squealed, sounding vaguely familiar to Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil when they received a piece of juicy gossip. She jumped up from the table and turned to Draco, who was smiling equally as large.

"I'm so excited you'll be staying for the summer!" she exclaimed, louder than was necessary. As she jumped into Draco's arms, who spun her in circles, she rolled her eyes as she heard the familiar squeals down the table from Lavender and Parvati.

Draco set her down and kissed her very lightly on the forehead. "This is very good news," he said with a smile. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I don't know what I would have done this summer without my mother – or you."

Hermione blushed and bent her head to kiss his chin, ignoring the gagging noise that she could hear Ron doing down the table. At the sounds, she wrapped her arms around Draco's neck tightly and kissed him firmly, grinning at herself for the idea.

_Take that, Ron Weasley._

* * *

April flew by so quickly, Draco wasn't sure it had even come. And before he knew it, it was the end of May as well. He had studied his notes so much this year that everything was photographically implanted into his brain with no magic necessary to do so, and his eyes were red from reading chapters of books every night. He had improved his grades so much that the second after Hermione had finished asking him a question regarding something he was studying, he was able to answer it with no hesitation.

Draco was also pleased that he would be staying with Hermione's family for a month before he would stay in Hermione's new home temporarily. Hermione had insisted that he stay with her for as long as possible, but Draco didn't lose all of his qualities – although he had Crabbe and Goyle follow him around for the majority of his life at Hogwarts, Draco preferred to be independent when it came to his personal life. If he and Hermione had grown into a very sturdy relationship in the future, he would definitely move in with her and spend the rest of his life with her. For now, they were much too young and still needed to mature.

It was the week before their N.E.W.T.s, and both Draco and Hermione were so well prepared for them that they didn't need to study for a good four days before cracking down once more three days before the tests. He occupied his time with Hermione, Crabbe and Goyle – who had, surprisingly, become very accustomed to Hermione's company, and even enjoyed spending time with the three of them.

It was their final day of lessons, and Draco was glad to be almost over with Potions forever. He sank into the stool at the back of the room, accompanied by Hermione. Crabbe and Goyle took the seats behind them, talking to one another as they waited for Slughorn to arrive.

Draco turned to look over Hermione for a moment, without her realizing he was doing so. Her brown hair had grown about four inches since September, and hung past her breasts now in very loose ringlets. Her hair was also so shiny that the sunlight coming in through the only window in the dungeons bounced directly off her head. She was wearing make-up for once, but not very much since she had pristine skin – only a touch of "mascara," she had told him. And her body had not seemed to gain any weight since the beginning of the year, which was surprising since he knew Hermione had eaten an immense amount of food.

"What are you staring at?" she asked, flicking her eyes in his direction and smiling.

"You, of course," he said with a grin. "No, I'm sorry, I was staring over your shoulder at Longbottom there. That bouncing ball of joy sure is a looker. If I wasn't extremely straight, I might just ask him to come up to my room and fond –"

"Draco, that's disgusting!" Hermione giggled, slapping his arm. "And don't call him a ball, he's not that chubby." She smirked. "You should see Harry's cousin."

Draco's smile faded slightly and he reached over to touch Hermione's hand. He wasn't fully fond of Harry, true, but he respected him much more than he respected Ron. "You miss him, don't you?" he asked softly.

Hermione sighed. "Yes. Harry has never treated me bad this entire time we haven't been speaking to each other. Harry has not said a word, and he even smiled at me last month." Her shoulders slumped and she looked over at Draco. "Ron, on the other hand, has been the complete opposite."

Draco nodded and smiled. "Perhaps tonight I can make you feel better," he whispered in a husky voice, leaning close to gently bite at Hermione's earlobe. He felt her shiver under him, and was amazed that he still had that effect on her even after all these months. And of course he had been suggestive when he asked her the question. It had still been months since anything had happened between the two of them, and he was desperate to hear the sounds Hermione had made on their first – and last – night.

She smiled and quickly whispered, "Absolutely," before Slughorn came in and set his things down on his desk. Everyone had his full and undying attention.

_Hermione's POV_

Slughorn smiled. "It's nice to see everyone giving me their full attention today! Well then, let's begin." He rubbed his palms together and reached into the waistband of his cotton pants, swirling his wand in the air behind him as a piece of chalk flew up and began scribbling on the board. "I'd like you all to turn to page ninety-four where we will begin Anti-Nausea potions…"

Hermione was flipping to the correct page when she felt Draco's hand rubbing the small of her back. She turned to look at him, to ask him what he was doing, before he pressed his lips against hers. He held them there for only a moment before pulling away with a smile.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice sincere and his eyes soft.

Hermione smiled. "I love you, too," she murmured.

Halfway into the class, Hermione and Draco had brewed the perfect Anti-Nausea potion, which was very thick and bright red in colour, and had tried it out on a sick frog at the front of the room. The frog had flipped in the air, smiled up at them, and hurried away. Both of them had received full marks and ten points for each of their houses.

Harry and Ron's, however, were not as lucky. Ron had put too much crushed unicorn horn into their pot, and Harry had over-stirred it. The result was a watery white liquid that resembled very runny glue. When they had given it to their frog, it had flopped over, twitched its hind legs, and died.

"I'm sorry, boys," Slughorn said with a frown. "I'll have to give you low marks for that, what a mess." He picked the frog up between his forefinger and thumb, dangling it in the air back and forth. It remained motionless. Hermione had to fight back laughter as she saw the scowl on Ron's face as he sank back into his stool. If she had still been friends with them, they would have been able to perfect the potion and get full credit. That had been their loss, though.

After class, Hermione told Draco she was going up to the library and would meet him in the Head Tower later. He had given her a quick peck on the cheek, made her promise she would meet him there, and parted ways. Without even turning towards the direction of the library, Hermione inched her way back down into the dungeons.

"Professor Slughorn?" Hermione said softly, tapping on the door to Slughorn's office.

Slughorn popped his head around the doorway. "Yes! Miss Granger, of course! How are you, my dear? How are your parents?" he asked in a rushed sentence.

"Err – they're fine, thank you. I was just wondering if you could perhaps show me some of the ingredients needed to create a Polyjuice Potion." When she saw the look on Slughorn's face, she smiled timidly. "I was only curious, Professor. I wouldn't ask you for any reason other than my own curiosity."

Slughorn seemed sceptical, but he smiled brightly and turned to bring Hermione into his office. "I suppose I could show you a few ingredients." He kept his back turned as he began rummaging through his personal cabinets.

Hermione took the opportunity to look around the room silently. Finally, she spotted what she had been looking for – it was folded neatly on top of Slughorn's desk and shimmering off the candlelight. Hermione dove for it, shoved it under her robes, and turned back to the Professor with a smile while smoothing her robes down to cover the lump protruding from her midsection.

Slughorn turned back and settled several bottles of things down on his desk, glancing around at them and then beaming at Hermione. "Certainly with your skills in Potions, you are at least somewhat aware of the ingredients used in the Polyjuice Potion?" he said.

"Oh, yes." Hermione smiled up at him. "I just want a kind of idea about what is used in it, and how they work."

For the next half hour, Hermione listened to Slughorn ramble on about how a Polyjuice Potion took a very long time to brew, approximately two months, and that it was very complicated – nothing was new to Hermione, however. When Slughorn finally excused himself to go to sleep, Hermione said her goodbyes and hurried upstairs, clutching her stomach beneath her robes.

Once she had reached the ground level, Hermione glanced around in every direction to see if anyone was there. When she saw no one staring back at her, she slid what she had stolen from Slughorn's office out from underneath her robes. The shimmering fabric fell in waves and pooled to the ground as she held it up. Taking a deep breath, she slipped the Invisibility Cloak around her shoulders and pulled it up over her head. Once she was sure she would not trip on the ends of the cloak, she hurried up the marble staircase towards the seventh floor.

The corridors echoed as her feet hit each stone in the ground, and she kept her breathing to a minimum so she wouldn't freak out anyone passing by her – even if they did think of her as a ghost. She hurried herself up the stairs and paused as she stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. She then prepared to wait for someone to come and open the entrance, or someone to emerge from the Gryffindor common room inside.

After about five minutes, a first year Gryffindor came trampling up the steps with his arms full of books and rolls of parchment, panting heavily. He reminded Hermione vaguely of herself when she had been eleven, only in a male form – brown curly hair, deep brown eyes, and his arms full of books.

"Password?" the Fat Lady cooed.

"Caput Draconus," the Gryffindor boy recited. The Fat Lady swung open and Hermione crawled through the hole to find herself standing in the Gryffindor common room. She didn't feel at home anymore as she glanced around the room, feeling like an outcast as she saw Ginny sitting at a table and laughing happily as she talked to two figures in the couch across from her – both who were slumped down so far in the couch that Hermione couldn't even see the top of their heads. She made her way over to Ginny, and was not surprised to see Harry and Ron sitting across from her.

"It was funny," Ron mumbled, crossing his arms firmly across his chest.

Hermione saw Ginny roll her eyes and smile wider. "Ron, did you really believe you would outdo her? This is Hermione Granger we're talking about, after all." Hermione's heart flip-flopped at the mention of her name. They must be talking about this afternoon in the Potions classroom.

"Well, it was worth a shot," Ron spat through gritted teeth. "Anything to beat that ferret! She doesn't know who she is dealing with, Ginny."

Ginny smiled. "Hermione is the smartest girl in the entire school, Ron. You're accusing Hermione for being unaware of the person she is dating? Draco Malfoy has tortured every single one of you since the first year! Can't you think outside of the box? Isn't there even a slight possibility that he's changed?"

"Of course not! Right, Harry?" Ron turned to look at Harry, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched.

Harry didn't say anything and slumped down further in his seat, one hand resting on the arm of the couch. He finally found the right words to say. "Maybe he has changed."

Ron's mouth fell open. "W-What?"

"You don't know, Ron," Harry said, frowning. He sat up slightly in his seat. "When was the last time you said anything to him?"

Ron thought this over for a minute. "I don't know."

"Exactly." Harry shook his head and looked over at Ginny. "Maybe Ginny is right. Maybe Malfoy has changed, and maybe he really cares about Hermione. She's been our friend longer, and a friend is more important than some enemy. Don't you think we owe Hermione our opinion? Don't you think she deserves an apology and an explanation? We haven't said a word to her in months! I was this close –" Harry held up his thumb and forefinger, leaving a very small space in between them. "– from saying something the other week."

Ron gritted his teeth once more and stood up abruptly. "I don't need this," he spat, glaring from his younger sister to his best friend. "You two are betraying me for Hermione and that god damn bastard!"

"Ron!" Harry snapped, standing up and looking over at the red-haired, glaring friend of his. "You don't even want to talk to Hermione? Are you ever even going to tell her why you're so mad?"

"She doesn't need to know about it," Ron grumbled, falling back into the seats as if to end the conversation. But Harry was clearly not done, as he walked over to stand directly in front of Ron.

"She does need to know about it, Ron! She's our friend! I don't care what you say; Hermione will always be my friend no matter who she ends up with! You should respect her decisions and her choices! All because of a crush you have on her –"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH HER!"

The room fell silent. Every Gryffindor sitting in the common room turned to stare at Ginny, Harry and Ron. Hermione stood behind the couch, her eyes wide and her mouth in a tight line to keep from gasping. What Ron was saying couldn't possibly be true, could it? Did Ron really love her?

"No," she mouthed to herself, shaking her head. She would not believe it.

Harry spoke again. "Y-You love her?"

Ron's eyes were wide as well and he clamped his hands over his mouth as if to take back the words he had just said. "Forget what I said," he snapped hurriedly.

"Ron –"

"FORGET IT!"

Without another word, Ron got up from the couch, stormed across the common room and climbed out of the portrait hole. He slammed it behind him, receiving loud shouts from the Fat Lady on the other side.

Hermione stood in silence with Harry and Ginny, who were staring at the portrait hole – along with every other person in the room. Tears sprung into Hermione's eyes. Ron loved her! He had never even told her this, even when she had had feelings for him last year.

"You bastard," she mouthed again, tears streaking down her face. "You fucking bastard."

She took slow, calm breaths and shook her head. This must've been why Ron had been acting very strange with her months ago, before the revealing of her and Draco's relationship. She knew that had to be the case.

Hermione stood in the common room for a few more minutes, and only left when Harry and Ginny decided to go and find Ron. She hurried behind them and slid out of the portrait hole just before it closed. She had to go see Draco; he was expecting her. There was no room in her heart to love Ron. He had that opportunity for four years of their lives.

She turned in the opposite direction of Harry and Ginny and made her way back to Head Tower, her mind made up.

* * *


	14. NEWTs, Potions and Draughts

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note: **Another exciting chapter. There's only one more after this! I'm so sorry this took so long, much longer than I expected, but it's been ridiculous with school. I've had homework every night and two tests tomorrow! Anyway, I've noticed that I'm getting fewer reviews for chapters. I'm not sure if that means you guys are no longer interested in the story anymore, or if I don't need anymore praising? It doesn't matter, I suppose. The last chapter will have a larger author's notes filled with special thanks and my gratitude towards you guys, the fans. I thank you all so much for making this story my most successful one to date. Enjoy the fourteenth chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen  
****N.E.W.T.s, Potions and Draughts**

Hermione slipped off the Invisibility Cloak and stuffed it underneath her robes before she had turned the corner to the Head Tower. Her whole body was shaking and her mind was pounding with thoughts tumbling into one another. She could barely breathe, and she felt claustrophobic even though she was standing in a wide, spiralling staircase. Taking a moment to herself, Hermione pressed her back against the cold stone wall of the tower and closed her eyes, taking long deep breaths to slow her breathing again.

Had what she heard really been true? Was Ron in love with her? And if she was, how could she ever face him again as a friend? Hermione shook her head and moved her body off the wall. She would try to ignore what had happened before in the Gryffindor common room and spend the evening with Draco, like he had planned for them. It would be their second time ever doing "the act", and she had made sure to prepare for it well. She had shaved her legs, taken a long bath, and even wore a particularly skimpy lingerie set for her boyfriend.

Without another hesitation, Hermione turned the corner to face the portrait of Dumbledore. He was knitting what appeared to be a pair of booties for a baby in a rich purple colour while sitting in his chair. He beamed at Hermione as she strode around the corner to him.

"Uh –"" She shook her head to stop the distraction of what Dumbledore was knitting. "Lemon streusel."

Dumbledore winked and swung forward to reveal the common room of the head tower. The only thing that was casting any form of light in the room was the fireplace, which stood lit brightly in the center of the furthest wall. Normally, the sofa would block the view of the fireplace, but Hermione noticed that the sofa had been pushed aside to rest against the wall. The blanket that was normally thrown over the back of the sofa had been laid out on the ground in the sofa's place, and Draco was perched on the edge of it. The blanket had every type of food possible spread out over it.

Hermione smiled and slipped off her robes, being extra cautious since the Invisibility Cloak was still folded inside. She set the robes down on the chair next to the portrait hole and closed it with her foot before walking over to sit herself next to Draco on the ground.

"Good evening, your majesty," he said with a sneer, winking over at her.

"Excuse me, your highness." Hermione bowed deeply and winked back at him. Both laughed.

"How was your time in the library?" Draco asked, picking up a strawberry and leaning over to feed it to Hermione. She graciously accepted and the strawberry popped between her lips as she reached her hand up to grab it and bite it.

"It was okay," she lied. She wasn't proud that she had lied to Draco about everything that had just happened, but she didn't think she would be able to tell him – especially after the information she had just received.

Draco nodded along solemnly, smiling over at Hermione. "I'm a lucky guy, did you know that?"

Hermione grinned. "Why's that exactly?"

"Because I have a beautiful girlfriend named Hermione Granger," he replied casually, reaching across Hermione's leaning arm to grab a oatmeal cookie off of a plate. Hermione blushed and looked down, but Draco's fingertips lifted her chin to look at him. She had to fight back a laugh as she saw Draco's wide eyes and full mouth chewing aggressively at the cookie he was munching on.

"What?" he asked, frowning with round cheeks as he saw Hermione giggling at him.

"You look ridiculous," she giggled, reaching up to stroke his puffy cheek. "Similar to a chipmunk."

Draco smiled. "Chipmunks are cute though." Hermione nodded her response and smiled as well. The familiar feeling of butterflies flying around in her stomach distracted her instantly from the conversation she had heard earlier between Ron, Harry and Ginny. She knew for a fact that Ron's confession would have no effect on her now. True, she had previously had feelings for Ron but he had not showed her his own feelings at all. It didn't matter now – she knew that she was in love with Draco Malfoy.

Hermione's mind shot back to reality as she felt Draco's body hovering over hers. She looked over to see him leaning over her, his hands on either side of her thighs and his gaze blazing down into hers. The way his silvery blonde hair fell over his golden eyelashes made Hermione's heart beat faster than before.

"Hermione," he said in a deep, cool voice that made goosebumps trickle down Hermione's arms. "It has been so long. I miss that smooth body of yours, the noises you make, how it felt to be inside of you."

Hermione couldn't breathe or say a word, but immediately launched herself onto Draco, crashing their lips together and winding her arms around his neck. He was right, it had been too long; every sexual frustration that she had built up over the past few months had finally taken over her entire body and mind. Her fingers easily found their way into the back of Draco's hair and her body curved into his as if it belonged there. Not to Hermione's surprise, Draco was equally eager as his hands began to yank at the bottom of her shirt.

Hermione separated herself away from Draco to slide off her shirt, and Draco took the opportunity to peel off his own. The two of them remained kneeling on the side of the blanket, their chests heaving from being out of breath, before someone made the first move. This time, it was Draco; he flung himself onto Hermione and grasped her waist, pulling her directly into him and kissing her forcefully and hotly.

"Draco," Hermione gasped as she heard the zipper lowering on his pants. "I need you."

Draco did not hesitate as he lifted Hermione up and laid her down on the plush rug underneath them. He moved down her body and had begun to peel away at Hermione's pants when she finally opened her eyes. A horrified gasp escaped her lips and her hands clamped over her chest automatically.

"Hermione?" Draco asked from her waist. She lifted her head once more, just to make sure she had seen what she thought she had seen. Sure enough, she was staring at the face of Ron Weasley in Draco's place. Her eyes grew wide and she squeaked.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Draco's voice asked. Hermione looked up once more and saw that Draco was back where he had been. His blue eyes were narrowed and darting back and forth as he attempted to discover what was bothering Hermione.

"I… nothing." Hermione shook her head and forced a smile down at the beautiful blonde boy. "I just thought I saw something behind you, but it was just the shadows from the fireplace."

Draco looked sceptical for a moment, but shrugged it off as he continued to peel off Hermione's bottoms. She took the opportunity to rest her head back on the rug and stare at the ceiling, lost in thought. Only a minute ago, she had seen Ron's face rather than Draco's staring up at her. She shouldn't be thinking of such things when she and the most beautiful boy in the entire school were about to have sex for the second time, should she?

_What is wrong with you, Hermione?_ She pondered to herself.

Draco raised himself over Hermione once more, and she was pleased to see that he was himself and not Ron once more. Her eyes and mind had been playing tricks on her, that was all. Yet as soon as she had grabbed Draco's shoulders and arched her hips to his as he began to slide into her, she saw the pale white skin underneath her nails flash to freckles for just a brief moment. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked up at Draco, who was staring deep down into her eyes fondly.

Stop it, her mind snapped at her. Just have sex with him and put Ron in the back of your head for Merlin's sake.

Hermione did just that, shoving Ron as deep as possible into the back of her brain as if it was a broom cupboard, and blinked once before gazing up at Draco. His blonde hair was almost touching her nose as he leant down to gaze at her, his body moving in slow, steady thrusts. She was in complete bliss, her fingers wound in the back of his hair and her body moving into his with the familiar sounds escaping her lips.

"Draco," she gasped, her teeth biting at her lip and her skin pressed against his. She could feel every slow exhale of breath that touched her skin when Draco leant down towards her, his one hand propping himself up over her and his other one resting on Hermione's cheek.

"I love you," he said in barely a whisper.

"I love you, too." Hermione's voice was confident when she responded. To her relief, no other image of Ron flashed into her vision for the rest of their evening together.

* * *

After a full day of studying the next day and having a total of nine hours of sleep, Hermione and Draco woke up at seven-thirty on the morning of their N.E.W.T.s with enormous smiles and confidence in their hearts. Both of them were completely prepared for anything the teachers threw at them, and would walk into the Great Hall with their heads held high, and out with their heads held even higher. After changing into their casual clothes, the couple grabbed their last minute study notes and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Since the Great Hall would not be removed of its enormous tables and replaced with single desks for another hour, the food remained piled high on their plates. Today, Hermione chose to sit with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle for once as she lowered herself into the Slytherin table. She had just began to reach for the ladle to spoon scrambled eggs onto her plate when the Great Hall doors swung open and Harry and Ron staggered in.

Harry and Ron looked absolutely horrible. Ron's hairstyle mimicked Harry's normal wild and unmanageable hair as the two of them slumped down into their seats. Harry had only thrown his jumper on minutes ago it seemed, since it was crooked and revealing his flat stomach to everyone. Ron had dark circles under his eyes and his skin appeared to be yellow.

It was obvious to Hermione that either they had not gotten any studying done, or they had had difficulties with the studying without the help of Hermione. She felt a moment of pride at this idea, since she had been the main reason why both of them had passed their exams and O.W.L.s the years before. Therefore, seeing them in the state that they were in gave her a sense of gratitude towards herself.

After finishing their meals, all the students were rushed out of the Great Hall so the tables could be separated and split into temporary desks. Hermione and Draco perched themselves on the top of the marble staircase to quiz each other, since everyone else was swarmed around the Entrance Hall and the bottom of the stairs. Hermione noticed Harry and Ron sitting cross-legged on the ground near the Great Hall with hundreds of rolls of parchment spread out around them, and hurriedly quizzing one another on the topics.

"Everyone!" Hermione looked up to see Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway of the Great Hall. "You may now come in."

Hermione and Draco walked down the steps and followed the line of seventh years into the Great Hall. Sure enough, the tables had been cut up into hundreds of single student desks. Each desk had a roll of parchment on it, a bottle of ink, and a quill that had had a spell set on it so it would ensure no student could cheat. Hermione chose a seat near the other Gryffindors, while Draco went to sit next to Crabbe and Goyle.

After everyone had been seated, McGonagall stood at the front of the room. She cleared her throat and pointed her wand at the clock hanging above the wall behind her.

"You may begin… now."

There was a rustling of paper and a hectic scratching of quills on parchment as everyone started on their N.E.W.T.s. Hermione was thrilled when she answered twelve questions in a row with ease within the first five minutes, but slowed down her pace as she noticed she may finish the exams before everyone else had finished. She didn't want to appear to be too eager; it was bad enough she was already the school's bookworm.

Half an hour passed, and Hermione had already finished a third of the test. She still had an hour and a half to go, which would leave her half an hour left if she kept up at this level. Briefly, Hermione glanced sideways to see the progress that Draco had been making. To her delight, she saw that he was smiling and humming to himself during the entire test, never removing his quill from the parchment. As for Harry and Ron, who were seated two seats in front of her, they appeared to be having a large amount of difficulty, chewing on the ends of their quills and tensing up their knuckles every few minutes.

Grinning to herself evilly, Hermione turned her attention back to her parchment and continued jotting everything down. The answers flowed so quickly out of her brain that she was sure she would finish the test at least an hour early; she had to forcefully tell her hand to slow down when she was nearing the end.

An hour and a half later, McGonagall's voice told everyone to put their quills down, roll up their parchments and hand them in at the front. Hermione confidently rolled the parchment up until it was tightly bound, then hurried over to the front of the Great Hall to hand in the test. McGonagall seemed pleased when she saw Hermione, and gave her a nod of congratulations before the test had even been examined.

Turning back to rush out of the Great Hall, Hermione felt completely at ease as she flung open the Great Hall doors and took an enormous breath of air. She had officially finished her stay at Hogwarts and was now an adult. The only thing that was left to do was the ceremony on the night before they left, which would take place for only seventh years and staff in the Great Hall. It included a banquet of food, music, and a ceremony that was similar to the Muggle graduations Hermione had read about in Muggle Studies class.

"Hermione!" Draco's voice called from behind. Turning, Hermione beamed as she saw Draco standing at the foot of the stairs, smiling up at her with his arms outstretched. She ran into them immediately.

"We're adults, Draco! We've both passed the N.E.W.T.s, there is no way we could have not passed," Hermione replied in an excited squeak. Draco chuckled and wrapped his arms around Hermione's body, lifting her and spinning her.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger," he said with a sneer.

"Same to you, Mr. Malfoy," she said back.

* * *

The day before the ceremony for the seventh years, Hermione had begun to pack up her things in her dormitory with a heavy heart. It had still been ages since she had spoken with Ron and Harry, and the only person she would really be able to celebrate their last day together would be with Draco. Her heart sank at the thought of walking up to the raised platform at the front of the Great Hall, accepting all of the compliments she would be receiving from the staff, and then only having one person applaud for her.

This was a ludicrous thought, of course; Hermione was well aware that the only people that hated her at the moment were Harry and Ron. However, with the lack of her two best friends in her life, Hermione knew that she would feel that way when she stepped off the platform. In her mind, every single person in the world could be applauding her and cheering her on, but it would never equal up to the crowd's applauds and cheers she would receive from her two best friends and Draco.

Hermione folded her last set of robes and placed them at the top of the trunk, glancing around her room to make sure she had gotten everything before closing the lid. Her initials shone brightly in front of her, and she had a flash of the initials _H.M._ pop into her mind. Hermione Malfoy – it sounded horrible to her, but it also made her heart tighten in her chest. Could she and Draco marry? Would their relationship last so long that one day she would become Mrs. Hermione Malfoy?

Soon after this thought, Hermione heard a soft knock at her door. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Draco sticking his head into the room.

"Hey," he said with a smile. "How is everything going in here?"

"I just finished packing," Hermione answered, standing up. "How about you?"

Draco slowly closed the door behind him and smiled. "Same here." He walked forward and wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, pulling her body close to his. Hermione couldn't help but dip her head into the crook of his neck – he smelt like husky cologne and sunshine.

"I have a present for you," Draco murmured into her hair. "Do you want it now or tomorrow?"

"Ooh, why must you tease me?" Hermione said, pouting. "I do want it now, but I don't want to accept it if it is meant for tomorrow!"

Draco laughed. "It is, but you can have it now if you would like."

Hermione shook her head. "I'll wait. I hate ruining things," she explained.

Pulling away, Draco smiled and looked down into Hermione's eyes. His hand reached up to stroke her hair against the side of her head, and he brought her face up to press his lips into hers.

"This is it," he said finally, their lips only a centimetre away after he had pulled back. "After four o'clock tomorrow, we are officially adults."

Hermione smiled. "I can't believe it. I don't even think I'm prepared for the real world yet! All the hectic duties of an adult, and the enormous responsibilities. I've had a hard enough time being Head Girl for the school!"

:"You will be absolutely fine on your own, Hermione," Draco said with a laugh. "Learn to relax, Granger."

"Shut up, Malfoy." She grinned and glanced over his shoulder at the clock above the door. "I suppose we should go down for breakfast."

Agreeing, Draco took Hermione's hand and led them down the stairs, out of the Head Tower, and down to the Great Hall. A majority of the students were already there eating, and Hermione noticed that Ron and Harry were absent from the Gryffindor table. Curious, she kept her eyes on the doors of the Great Hall as Draco helped her onto the bench of the Slytherin table to eat. Still, no matter how long she kept her eyes on the door, she never saw them enter.

After eating, Hermione decided she should bring Slughorn's Invisibility Cloak back to him. She explained to Draco she was going up to the library to return some books, and dashed up the marble staircase to retrieve the cloak. After exiting the Head Tower, she made her way down to the dungeons with the cloak concealed under her jumper. She turned the corner that would lead to the Potions classroom, but paused with her hand on the door as she heard familiar voices coming from inside. She pressed her ear to the door and listened.

"Thanks for letting us use your ingredients and classroom, Professor," she heard Harry say. "Although this is for Ron, not me."

"Shut up mate, just because you have Ginny and you're all happy and whatnot," Ron spat back sarcastically.

"Now, now boys," Slughorn said. "Just hurry up and ask me if you need any help. Mind you, love potions are relatively easy to make."

Hermione's eyes grew wide at the words "love potion," but she continued to listen in. The sound of a bottle breaking inside made her jump back a bit.

"Fuck! Fucking fuck shit bollocks!"

"Weasley, watch your mouth!"

"Sorry Professor, but I –"

"Easy, boys! That stuff will intoxicate you with its smell alone!"

A hazy pink fog was seeping under the cracks of the door, and Hermione clamped her hand over her nose as she realized what it was; Cupid's breath. The smell alone made anyone fall in love with the first person they saw.

"Alright, now that that's been cleared out, will you two need a bottle for that?"

"If you don't mind, Professor."

Hermione knew Slughorn had left the room, since the footsteps could be heard through the door. Harry's voice interrupted the footsteps, and Hermione had to press her head into the door harder to make out what he was saying.

"It'll never work, Ron," he said doubtfully.

"Of course it will. One drop of this in Hermione's goblet, and she'll finally be in love with me. No Malfoy, no problems."

"Tons of problems!" Harry snapped. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It will. Slughorn said himself that everything looks up to order. Plus, we're getting bonus marks for this because we used little assistance and no textbooks."

Hermione swallowed hard and stood up. She had to make sure she never took a sip from a goblet from now on. She would have her drinks in secret, ignore questions from Draco, and be sure not to sit anywhere near Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table.

Suddenly, Hermione realized Slughorn had returned as she saw shadows growing closer to the crack underneath the door. Hurriedly, she swept the Invisibility Cloak out from underneath her robes and wrapped it around her body, stepping back and pressing herself against the wall just as the classroom door had opened.

"Thanks again, Professor!" Ron said as he stepped out into the hallway. He had a clear, round bottle filled with pink liquid in his hands.

"No problem, boys. Good luck!" Slughorn smiled at them before closing his classroom door once again. Hermione slowed her breaths to a minimum and watched as Ron and Harry retreated up the stairs for breakfast, not talking to one another. She decided she would wait at least five minutes before going to see Slughorn; she didn't want him to know she had been eavesdropping.

After five minutes, Hermione slipped off the Invisibility Cloak and stashed it under her jumper once more. Then, she turned to the door and rapped her fist against the wood. She stood there for a minute before Slughorn opened his classroom door with a wide smile on his face.

"Miss Granger!" he said, surprised. "Fancy seeing you. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could have some Sleeping Draught. I've been having a lot of difficulty falling asleep for the past few weeks, and I think it'd help me out a lot."

Slughorn seemed sceptical, once again – perhaps it was the fact that Hermione always seemed to over-explain _why_ she needed something. However, he pushed open the door of the classroom to widen it and led her in to the class.

"Wait here," he suggested, smiling and turning to go into his office. Once he was out of sight, Hermione took the opportunity to stash the Invisibility Cloak into his briefcase, which was sitting open on his desk. She folded it and placed it on the top of a stack of papers, and closed it with a hushed _snap_. Right after she had closed the briefcase, Slughorn returned with another round bottle in his hand, this time filled with clear liquid.

"Here you are," he said politely, handing Hermione the bottle. "Is that all?"

"Yes, Professor. Thank you!" She smiled and turned on her heel, hurrying out of the classroom as soon as possible.

Thank God that's over, she thought to herself. Now, the only thing she had to worry about was the fact that Harry or Ron would be trying to slip a love potion into her drinks so she would fall in love with Ron. She didn't want that.


	15. Ceremonies and Farewells

**DISCLAIMER:** _I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own any other characters in J.K. Rowling's original series. I merely am here to demonstrate a different approach to the plot, characters, and overall experience in the world of witchcraft and wizardry._

**Author's Note:** The last chapter! I've had such an incredible time writing this story, but in a way I'm glad to see it end. I was running out of ideas for it, which is why I told you guys it would be ending on the fifteenth chapter in chapter 9, I believe. Once again, this story is up a little late but this is for reasons aside from school – I wanted to spell check everything, do a grammar check three times, and polish the story off with a bang! Thank you so much for the fans that held on through the beginning and to those that discovered my story along the way. I'm so pleased that this story has become very successful among FanFiction readers, and I will be sure to write new stories of Draco and Hermione in the future. I'd like to give special thanks to the following people:

**Katie – Lyn Della Robia**, for reviewing every single chapter with positive feedback.

**Monkeypants12**, for staying a fan and giving me such positive outlooks on the story.

**IGOTEAMEDWARD**, for the positive reviews.

**Alice-Rathbone-is-my-real-name**, for even more positive reviews.

**Stayawakestars**, for loving the fact that I updated twice in one night! (Haha)

**GothicAtHeart**, for being obsessed with the story and freaking out in every review telling me to update soon.

**Charlotte1993**, for telling me I did an amazing job.

**Minato-Mishima**, for claiming that I am an "evil genius."

**Aeris1172**, for complimenting my grammar skills and having a good "flow" to my story.

**BroadwayNightOwl**, for complimenting me on how I connect the characters and make the passion believable.

**AND** every single other fan out there! I would thank everyone, but there's been a select few who caught my attention the most.

**AND** J.K. Rowling, of course – for creating these amazing characters that I got to get my hands on and work into my own stories. Muahaha.

All that being said, I'm sad this is ending but excited to finish my other stories that I've left everyone waiting on! Be sure to check them out. And also, I am officially going to be starting as a beta. I don't have anyone I am doing it for yet, but please ask me if you are interested! Take care everyone; it's been a lot of fun. Enjoy the fifteenth – and final – chapter of Forbidden Necessities!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen  
****Ceremonies and Farewells**

After a long night's sleep – thanks to the Sleeping Draught – and not one single thought about Ron, Hermione awoke the morning of the ceremony with a much more positive attitude. She had made it through lunch and dinner without touching any of her food or drink, but had insisted to Draco that they should go down to the kitchens and get food. Although she still wasn't pleased with the house-elves running around the kitchen and serving them as they pleased, Hermione was glad she had managed to get enough food in her system to keep her stomach satisfied from the lack of lunch and dinner.

Climbing out of bed, Hermione threw on the clothes she had laid out from her trunk the night previously – a cranberry V-neck cardigan, a white tank top, and dark denim jeans – and fastened a banana clip at the back of her hair to hold the hair away from her face. She slipped on a few bracelets and fastened a silver chain around her throat as well before she went down to meet Draco. Although the thoughts of the day previously still rushed through her mind, Hermione felt better than she had in a long time, and nothing would ruin this day for her.

Draco was reading on the couch in front of the fireplace when she entered, wearing an indigo T-shirt and black jeans. He beamed up at Hermione when he saw her and placed his bookmark into the book he was reading as she came to crawl into the seat beside him.

"What are you reading?" she asked curiously, reaching over for the book. When she saw the familiar title of Hogwarts: A History flash in her face, she looked up questionably.

Draco grinned. "I wanted to see what the big deal was. I know you've read at least a hundred times, so I just wanted to see if there was something interesting about it."

"And?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing at all," Draco said with a disappointed frown. "I thought there would be something involving fighting off dragons or a mention of a dazzling blonde-haired boy named Draco Malfoy that catches every girl's eye."

Hermione snorted. "There's that Malfoy gene of yours," she said.

"It is in my blood, after all," Draco said with a wink. Hermione reached behind her, turned, and smacked Draco with a pillow.

"Hey!" he growled, looking angrier than she had ever seen him. Frightened slightly, Hermione began to put the pillow down and apologize before she was interrupted by Draco tackling Hermione to the couch. Hermione squealed out, but was immediately distracted by the situation; the closeness of Draco's body, his breath against her skin, his hips pressed right into hers.

Before she knew it, Hermione had closed her eyes just slightly and felt Draco's cool fingertips grasping the back of her head as he pulled her head up. Their lips met firmly but tenderly, and their mouths opened and closed in rhythm with one another's. Hermione's hands slid up his arms and her knee was raised by Draco's free hand to rest against his hip. Their breathing grew heavy and they completely forgot about everything as the passion immersed them in front of the fireplace.

Hermione lost track of time, which was usually what happened when she was with Draco. Their bodies fit against each other perfectly, as if they had been destined to be together since the day they were born. Draco seemed to know exactly what to do, where to touch her and when, and Hermione knew the very rare soft spots on Draco's body that would make him tremble beneath her hands. This is love, Hermione thought to herself. There was no doubt in her mind that she had been brought on this planet to be with Draco Malfoy. She knew now that if, in the future, Draco ever asked for her hand in marriage, she would willingly accept. She knew that no matter who thought it was wrong or who tried to pry them apart, she would never back down. Hermione was forever bound to Draco now, forever his as he was forever hers.

Lost in thought and passion, Hermione barely noticed that Draco had moved his lips away from hers to hold either side of her face. She looked into his eyes, his cool blue pools of love bearing down into hers. Her hands reached up to grasp his over her cheeks, and she melted under his gaze. Hermione remembered in her first year when Draco had first looked at her, how cold his gaze had been and how she instantly hated him then and there. Then, she remembered how he had provoked Ron to burp slugs every minute or so because he had called Hermione a Mudblood. She knew she had hated them, for sure – so why had it been so easy, so simple, to forgive him now? Why was she feeling the happiest she had ever felt in her entire life right now, laying underneath Draco with their hands grasped on her cheeks and their eyes never leaving each others? The answer came from Draco's lips, as though he had been listening in on her thoughts.

"I have never loved someone as much as I have loved you, Hermione," Draco said in a cool whisper.

Unable to answer for a moment, Hermione ran her delicate fingers down Draco's wrist. The gesture immediately made her flash back to the beginning of the year on the train to Hogwarts, when she had ran her fingers down the spine of Hogwarts: A History very shortly before she would run into Draco in the corridor of the train. She continued to move her fingertips down his wrist, continuing down his arm and sliding up his shoulder to hold the side of his neck. Her gaze met his once more, and she smiled confidently.

"I feel the exact same way, Draco," she whispered back, and her head inclined up so their lips met once more. This time, his kiss was soft and loving rather than rough and desperate. His hands cupped her cheeks, his nose pressed against the side of hers, and she swore that she felt a tear fall from his eye between their touching cheeks. This was where she belonged. At the moment, she didn't care whether or not Ron ever forgave her. She had what she wanted – true love. And that was something Ron Weasley would never be able to give her.

Hermione pulled away once more and smiled up at Draco with a loving gaze. Her fingers ran through his soft roots and came down to rest on the sides of his neck once more before she spoke. "Perhaps we should go down for breakfast," she suggested.

Draco raised himself up onto his hands and smiled down at her. "You're right. Although I would love to mimic this position all day." He had pressed his hips firmly down into Hermione's with his torso raised away, throwing his head back and looking blissful.

Hermione giggled and rolled Draco off her so he landed on his back on the ground. "You're such a pervert," she said as she climbed off the couch. As she was climbing off, Draco grabbed her ankle and yanked her over him so she was now straddling his waist. Draco's grin grew wide.

"I'm quite fond of this position too, Granger. Perhaps we could try this one a bit later," he growled huskily while he arched his hips to raise Hermione off the ground on his body.

"Oh, fuck off!" Hermione laughed, inching her body down until she had slid off Draco's legs and landed on the ground. She stood up and dusted herself off. "Come on now, it's breakfast time. Do you want to set a bad example for everyone by showing up late?"

Draco rolled his eyes and stood up as well. "Of course not," he drawled sarcastically. A quick smirk flashed across his lips. "Nice hickey on your collarbone there, Granger."

Hermione squeaked and looked down. There was a small circle that almost resembled a bruise staring up at her on the furthest part of her collarbone. She tugged her cardigan over to conceal it and glared as Draco walked past her to the portrait hole, chuckling.

The two walked hand-in-hand down the marble staircase and made almost a grand entrance in the Great Hall. The doors opened, and they appeared to be the last ones to arrive for breakfast since every head turned in their direction. Lavender and Parvati, as usual, were gushing with excitement at the image of Hermione and Draco standing hand-in-hand in the doorway of the Great Hall. Hermione's eyes flickered towards Harry and Ron, and saw – to her great surprise – that Harry was secretly smiling behind his goblet. Ron, however, was as grumpy as ever and quickly turned his attention away from the scene.

"Where would you like to sit?" Draco murmured in her ear.

"Perhaps we should sit with the Gryffindors today," Hermione murmured back, tugging at his hand as she led him over to the table. They sank in the seats closest to the Great Hall doors and began to pile the food onto their plates. Hermione was scooping a great amount of scrambled eggs on her plate when an outburst further along the Gryffindor table caught her attention.

"Luna, you look beautiful today!" Colin Creevey was squealing, running towards Luna Lovegood at the Ravenclaw table and proceeding to stroke her hair. "Is that your natural colour? I have a natural colour. I think I love you, Luna. This is unbelievable! I've never loved someone before –"

Wide-eyed and frightened, Luna leapt up from the table and ran out of the Great Hall with Colin quick on her heels. The Great Hall was silent for a moment then everyone burst into laughter. Hermione glanced up the table to see Ron swearing silently under his breath and Harry grinning with his head tilted down. She smiled as well and turned back to her food. Obviously, Ron had poured love potion into the wrong goblet, hoping that Hermione would sit further up the table and away from everyone else. He had been very wrong, so it seemed.

"Is there anything we need to do today, as Head Boy and Girl?" Draco asked as his fork was making its way into his mouth.

Hermione nodded and wiped her mouth on her napkin before answering. "I was hoping to gather all of the Prefects in the Head Tower to congratulate them on a great year. Perhaps knick some snacks and treats from the kitchens as well."

Draco grinned. "So, a party?" Hermione nodded.

"And I am assuming you want me to go down to the kitchens, since you refuse to see the house-elves again?"

Hermione blushed and lowered her gaze to her scrambled eggs. "I mean, if you don't mind… you don't have to…"

She paused as she felt Draco's foot tap hers under the table and she lifted her eyes to him. He was smiling at her softly, and his hand reached over to hold hers across the table. Lavender and Parvati squealed from further up the table.

"There's nothing wrong with being uncomfortable about it, Hermione," he said softly. "I don't mind."

Hermione smiled. "You're wonderful," she said as she squeezed his hand. Draco winked his response and dropped her hand slowly, returning to his plate of food. She returned to her own and chewed on a piece of toast while happy thoughts swirled through her brain. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Harry and Ron had not yet spoken to one another since she and Draco had entered. Then, to her utter amazement, she saw Harry raise himself from the table – which made Ron give him a horrified look – and walk over to Hermione. She swallowed her toast quickly and glanced over at Draco, who looked equally surprised.

"Hermione," Harry said gently but confidently. "May I have a word?"

"Uh –" Hermione swallowed again and nodded. "Sure, alright." She got up and began to follow Harry out of the Great Hall, feeling every single pair of eyes in the Great Hall on their backs as they exited.

Once outside of the Great Hall, Harry turned to Hermione with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face. Hermione waited patiently with her hands down to her sides until Harry had chosen to speak first; he had called her out here, after all. Then, after a few minutes, Harry spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Hermione was startled. "Excuse me?"

Harry shook his head and lowered his arms from his chest. "I'm sorry for ignoring you. I'm sorry for acting like a complete idiot because you're dating someone who I hate – although I must admit, you two do look great together and he does seem to treat you respectfully." Hermione smiled at his comment, and Harry continued. "I'm sorry for how Ron has been behaving, because you are our best friend Hermione. We don't know what we would do without you."

Hermione frowned. "Why isn't Ron the one coming out to apologize?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "Ron is sorry as well, but he's still jealous of the fact that you're dating Malfoy. I mean…" Harry blushed. "Ron does like you and everything."

Hermione shook her head. "I know that, but that's besides the point…"

"You know? How –"

"Never mind that, Harry," Hermione hissed. "Why can't Ron take this from my perspective? Can't he see that I'm having a good time with Draco and that I'm actually happy? Wasn't he aware that I had an enormous crush on him before?"

"I think Ron is only realizing his feelings for you now," Harry mumbled, shifting from foot to foot.

"He had his chance!" Hermione snapped. "He had the opportunity to tell me that he had feelings for me for years, and now that I'm with someone else it finally hits him. Well, that is his fault." She crossed her arms over her chest. "If Ron wants to date me, that's too bad. However, I will be friends with him again if he's willing."

Harry opened his mouth to argue, but closed it and held up a finger. "Wait here, I'll go get him." Without another word, Harry turned and walked back into the Great Hall at a brisk walk. When he returned, he was dragging a confused-looking Ron behind him. Ron's eyes immediately softened when he saw Hermione.

"What's going on –?"

"Apologize, Ron," Harry said as he shoved him forwards.

"Apologize? For what?" Ron asked angrily. "I haven't done a thing!"

"You've been cold to me because I've been dating someone else when you have feelings for me!" Hermione barked.

Ron glared and spun around to face Hermione. "Maybe if you weren't dating that ferret it wouldn't be such a big deal!"

"He's not a ferret! If you got to know him better, you'd discover what a kind-hearted person he is! He's changed, Ron."

"I highly doubt that," Ron scoffed as he sank back to lean against the wall. "How could you betray us like that, Hermione? Malfoy has been nothing but scum to us for years, and you're going to fall for him just because he _says_ he's changed? That's not who you are, Hermione; you're supposed to be the logical one of the three of us."

Hermione frowned and took a step forward. "Ron, I am being logical. Please, if you just took the time…"

"I am _not_ going to be friends with Draco Malfoy," Ron growled.

Hermione frowned, but kept her cool as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ron, I'm not asking you to be friends with him. I'm asking you to at least try to get along with him."

"If you think about it," Harry said suddenly, causing both Ron and Hermione to jump in surprise; they had forgotten Harry was standing right behind Ron. "Malfoy hasn't spoken to us all year, and even Crabbe and Goyle are ignoring us as if we were any other Slytherin when we walk by them. Maybe Malfoy has changed, Ron."

Ron kept his eyes down on his shoes as if they were the most interesting thing in the world and ignored the peering eyes of his best friends. "I don't like Malfoy," he mumbled.

"You don't have to. Honestly, Ron… you're acting like a four year old." Hermione grinned. "Just please try to understand what he's going through."

Ron looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I'll let him explain," Hermione said softly, nodding her head to the right.

The three of them turned to see Draco strolling casually out of the Great Hall with his hands in his pockets. He spotted the three friends talking, averted his eyes and began walking away. Hermione hurried over and grabbed his hand.

"What –?"

"Just come here."

Leading him over to Harry and Ron, Hermione told Draco to explain the situation with his parents. After a lot of hesitation, Draco was able to tell Harry and Ron about how he had been disgusted in his father's loyalty to the Dark Lord, and how his mother had been driven to insanity by his absence. Harry had a deep look of concern on his face as he watched Draco and listened to his words, and Ron slowly began to soften under what Draco was telling them. Hermione held Draco's hand the entire time, squeezing it comfortingly every now and then to make sure he knew that she was there. By the end of it, everyone felt a little more depressed than usual.

"So M – Draco's living with you for the summer?" Ron asked, cracking his knuckles absentmindedly.

"Until his living arrangements are sorted out, yes," Hermione said, beaming up at Draco. "You two are welcome to visit as well, of course."

Harry smiled, but Ron still didn't seem to be completely moved by Draco's words just yet. Hermione didn't care though; she was just glad to be talking to her best friends once again.

"Look, the ceremony is at seven, right?" Hermione said. The three boys nodded. "We'll find seats for six thirty and see each other then. Maybe if we all get some time apart, we can think things through and you can decide for yourself if you're willing to be only friends with me, Ron."

Ron's eyes grew wide and Draco appeared puzzled, but Hermione steered Draco away and ignored his questions while she heard Harry and Ron bickering behind them. She didn't turn back around to look at them and ignored Draco's pleas of what she had meant by "only friends." Instead, she squeezed Draco's hand tighter and led them up to the Head Tower. If this was their last day together as Hogwarts students, she would make it their most memorable moment – alone in the Head Tower.

* * *

By six o'clock, Draco had thrown on his dress robes – as requested by McGonagall – and was now standing at the bottom of Hermione's stairs. He was waiting for her down here because she had slammed the door in his face after they had had their moment of wild, intense, passionate sex on her bed. At first, he had seemed appalled but he realized that she was going to be late if she did not freshen herself up. Therefore, he chose to be a gentleman and wait for her arrival for the ceremony.

Though the ceremony was meant to be formal, Draco had remembered what Crabbe and Goyle had decided to wear. Rather than opting for the dress robes that were requested, they had chosen to wear jeans and T-shirts. Even though Draco discussed with them that dress robes would be more appropriate, they had laughed the thought off and said that dress robes had come and gone.

Without another thought left in his head, Draco smiled and held his hands behind his back as he waited for Hermione. He felt blissful at the thought of moving in with Hermione and her family for the summer – it would be a much better change from the depressing state left of the Malfoy Manor. He imagined the strange Muggle items that her family would have, such as a telephone – which she had tried to explain to him before, but he could not get a grasp on.

"Draco?"

Draco gazed up at the top of the stairs and immediately felt his jaw drop to the floor. Hermione was standing at the top of the stairs wearing a shimmering aquamarine gown that fit at her torso and flowed out like a waterfall in curtains of silky fabric. It reminded him of an aquamarine wedding gown as she carefully made her ways down the stairs to stand in front of him. He realized she must have been wearing very high heels, since she her head was up to his nose rather than his collarbone. Her hair had been neatly styled in shiny waves that glistened in the fireplace light, and she was wearing the scarf that he had given her for Christmas draped around her shoulders.

"What?" Hermione asked, since he had been staring at her wordlessly for at least a minute.

Draco smiled and placed one hand on Hermione's lower back while his other one found the back of her hair. "You look absolutely beautiful, love," he murmured softly, leaning his head down only a little to kiss her softly on the mouth. He felt her hands rest against his chest and she accepted the kiss full heartedly before he pulled away. Draco tucked a stray lock away from her face and behind her ear, smiling at her with his eyes.

"I love you," he sighed.

"I love you, too," Hermione said with a smile.

"Shall we?" Draco asked, extending his forearm and bowing slightly. He grinned as Hermione giggled and placed her hand on his arm before guiding her out of the portrait hole. Dumbledore greeted them happily on the other side, wearing bring white robes that hung from his body and blended with his hair and beard.

"You look beautiful, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a bow.

"Thank you," Hermione said shyly. "Is McGonagall bringing you down for the ceremony?"

"Oh no," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'll just move myself along the portraits and come view you in the portrait of the baby and her mother that's hanging above the fireplace in the Great Hall. I congratulate both of you on an excellent year."

"Thank you," Draco responded, smiling and steering Hermione down the stairs. He made sure to walk slowly since she teetered nervously on the balls of her feet every so often.

"It's these damn heels," Hermione muttered after she had stepped on the end of her dress and fallen into Draco's awaiting arms. "Lavender gave them to me to wear for tonight, but I can hardly walk."

"Allow me," Draco said with a grin. He bent down and scooped Hermione up into his arms, the silky fabric of her dress flowing over his arms and down to the floor.

"How romantic," Hermione giggled, and Draco rolled his eyes teasingly. He began to carry her towards the Great Hall, where a visible crowd of seventh years in dress robes and gowns could be seen. Before entering with the group, Draco set Hermione back down on the ground and wrapped a secured arm around her body for support. Hermione seemed grateful that he had offered to help her walk down the staircase.

Their arrival was the most grand of them all. Every head at the bottom of the stairs turned in their direction, and expressions of awe and admiration stared up at them. Neville Longbottom was beaming up at them admiringly and had begun to applaud at the arrival of the two. Hermione blushed, but Draco bowed and waved to the crowd royally. He figured he could get his cockiness in at least before the night was over.

"You look amazing, Hermione!" Parvati squealed as Hermione landed at the bottom of the stairs. "That dress is beautiful."

"You look great too, Parvati," Hermione said. Draco nodded in agreement, and had to appreciate the bright purple dress that Parvati had chosen to wear.

After several other compliments towards the best dressed couple, the Great Hall doors opened and the seventh years filed in. Draco was amazed at how different, yet similar, the Great Hall appeared to be. The staff table had been removed and replaced with an enormous stage where a single table stacked high with coloured folders of red, blue, yellow and green awaited them. There was also four high-backed chairs across from the table with the head of each house seating in them – Professor Sprout for Hufflepuff, Professor Slughorn for Slytherin, Professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw, and Professor McGonagall for Gryffindor. The floor where the head tables were once seated had been replaced with rows and rows of single plush chairs. There were wide aisles in between the chairs where students would be able to walk through to collect their certificates from their house head. However, the entire room had not been covered with chairs. There was also an area that would serve as the dance area, and a long table lined the wall opposite from the fireplace that had been lined with empty platters. Draco assumed those would be filled with food at some point.

Grasping Hermione's hand, Draco led her through the rows of chairs and perched them at the front of the rows, where the Head Boy and Girl and Prefects were to sit. Soon after, Parvati, Blaise, Pansy, Susan, Ernie, Padma and Terry joined them to fill the nine chair row – Colin, being in his sixth year, was not present. Draco turned to see Harry and Ron, both wearing crisp black dress robes, seat themselves behind them, and Crabbe and Goyle had perched their round rears on the seats behind Draco.

"Nervous?" Hermione whispered in his ear. Draco turned to peer down into Hermione's soft brown eyes, which were sparkling with excitement and anticipation. He grinned and leaned to kiss Hermione on the forehead.

"Not even a little bit," he murmured.

The rest of the seats filled up quickly until all of the seventh years were sitting in the Great Hall, murmuring and whispering in hushed voices to their neighbours. McGonagall had closed the Great Hall doors and was now standing in front of the crowd, wearing plain black robes over her grey gown. She held her hands up as if to say that everyone should stop talking. Once everyone had stopped talking to one another, a wide smile spread across her usually stern face and she held her hands to her waist.

"Welcome seventh years to the congratulatory ceremony," she said in a loud, clear voice. "I assume that everyone hear is extremely excited at the thought of moving on with your lives after this day, and I'm sure many of you will continue on in life as successful wizards and witches. I will just read off the schedule for the evening, as to allow you all to be aware of what is waiting you tonight." McGonagall pulled a piece of parchment from the pocket of her robes, cleared her throat, and read aloud to the crowd:

"First, we will begin with the awarding to Head Boy and Girl as well as the Prefects, where their names will ceremoniously be added to the school plaques that will be seen in the trophy room. Next, we will begin with handing out the certificates of authentication. This will be organized alphabetically and in order of houses, starting with Hufflepuff. Then, special awards for specific achievements will be awarded to students who have showed tremendous amounts of skill these past seven years. The ceremony will then reach a close, and you will all be free to enjoy yourselves to the food and dance floor. That being said…" McGonagall rolled the parchment back up and slipped it into her robes. "We will begin. May I ask Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy to join me up here, please?"

An enormous cheer of applause erupted from the students, and Draco smiled as he turned to look at everyone. They were all beaming as the couple stood up and made their way – carefully, because of Hermione's shoes – up to the platform. McGonagall had gone over to the table to retrieve the Head Boy and Head Girl plaques. Draco saw the glint in Hermione's eyes as tears began to well up in joy, and he grabbed her hand to comfort her. She smiled over at him before they both turned to face McGonagall. Slughorn had come up to join them as well, and was now beaming brightly at the two.

"Congratulations you two, for making this year of Hogwarts the safest and most well-behaved year we have had yet," McGonagall said with a smile. "Professor Slughorn and I are pleased to add your names to the plaques, and award you with medals of honour."

McGonagall and Slughorn shook their hands before they removed their wands and swished them over the plaques. Draco watched as his name glittered in gold, followed by the year. McGonagall and Slughorn then proceeded to slip two medals of gold over their heads until they swung from their necks. Beaming, Draco looked over to see Hermione's name glittering on the Head Girl plaque, and saw Hermione break into sobs of joy.

"Sweetheart, it's okay!" Draco laughed, wrapping his arm around her. "Relax."

"I – I'm just so… so happy!" Hermione choked, smiling proudly. Draco smiled and pulled Hermione into a hug, which caused another round of cheers and applauds from their classmates.

"I'd like to call up the house Prefects now," McGonagall said with a smile. Hermione and Draco took a step back and smiled as they watched the students they had bossed around – politely, mind you – for the past year come up on stage. Their classmates applauded once more as McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick and Sprout held up the house plaques for the Prefects. Similar to the Head congratulations, the head of houses shook their hands and swished their wands to make their names appear on the plaques.

After the Prefects names had been added, Draco and Hermione stood behind the Prefects and posed for a picture – which was taken by Professor Binns – before they all took their seats once more. Hermione was thrilled to be sitting again, since she felt like she would faint any second up there from the mixture of joy, nerves and the height of her heels.

"We will now begin awarding the certificates of authentication. Professor Sprout?"

Professor Sprout, who was wearing a gown that appeared to be made out of leaves and twigs, stood up and beamed at everyone. She made her way over to the table and stood behind the pile of yellow folders. She took the first one off the top, opened it, and called out the name:

"Abbot, Hannah!"

Hannah stood up in the back room and blushed as she made her way through the rows of chairs to go up to the stage. The crowd politely clapped and watched as she took the certificate from Sprout's hand, followed by a congratulatory hug. Sprout continued on with the names.

"Applebee, Tamsin!"  
"Bones, Susan!"  
"Cadwallader, Dennis!"  
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"Fleet, Herbert!"  
"Hopkins, Wayne!"

"Jones, Megan!"  
"Macavoy, Heidi!"  
"Macmillan, Ernie!"  
"O'Flaherty, Maxine!"

"Rickett, Anthony!"  
"Stebbins, Marshall!"  
"Summers, Brooke!"

After all of the Hufflepuffs had accepted their certificates, they posed alongside of Sprout for another photo. The classmates applauded as the Hufflepuffs filed off of the platform and sank back into their seats. McGonagall stood up and smiled as Sprout passed to take her place behind the red folders, indicating that Gryffindor was next. Sure enough, McGonagall raised the first folder, opened it, and read out the name:

"Brown, Lavender!"

Lavender squealed with delight and hurried up the aisles from the third row to meet McGonagall at the platform. Her dress matched her name, as it was a pale lilac and flew breezily over the ground as she ran. Draco was amazed to see she wore heels just as high as Hermione's, yet had absolutely no difficulty running in them. As usual, though, the names continued down the list:

"Coote, Ritchie!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

"Frobisher, Vicky!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once more, and Draco smiled as Hermione blushed and stood up. She carefully made her way up the stairs, only stumbling a little, and finally made it face to face with McGonagall, who smiled brightly and hugged Hermione tightly. Draco saw her say, "Congratulations" in her ear and hand her the certificate before she continued down the list.

"Kirke, Andrew!"

"Longbottom, Neville!" Neville was particularly clumsy and nervous stumbling up the stairs to meet McGonagall.

"Patil, Parvati!"

"Perks, Sally-Anne!"

"Potter, Harry!"

Once again, cheers erupted as Harry made his way up from behind them to the platform. He beamed at McGonagall, who seemed equally glad to hand him over his certificate and guide him over to stand with the others.

"Sloper, Jack!"  
"Thomas, Dean!"

"Weasley, Ron!"

Ron was also greeted with an equal loud applause as Harry, and made his way up to meet McGonagall. However, Ron tripped on the end of the table cloth and stumbled into them. Draco burst into laughter with everyone else – it caused a human bowling ball affect.

"Oh Lord, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall muttered. "Wormhouse, Barbara!"

When the final Gryffindor student had met with McGonagall, they posed with her for the photo and then seated themselves back down. Judging by Slughorn's standing position now after McGonagall had taken her seat, the Slytherins were next."

"Bletchley, Miles!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"Carrow, Flora!"

"Crabbe, Vincent!"

"Davis, Tracey!"

"Goyle, Gregory!"

"Greengrass, Daphne!"

"Higgs, Terrence!"

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco was astonished that he had received such a loud applause, equally as loud as Hermione's had been. He stood with a smile to Hermione, who had grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Then, he made his way up the platform. It was comfortable shaking hands with Slughorn rather than it would have been with Snape, who was particularly greasy everywhere other than his hair. He took the certificate and peered inside to see what it had to say before he joined his friends at the side of the platform:

_Draco Malfoy, Slytherin_

_1991 – 1998 Attendance_

_Son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy_

_Congratulations on Receving This Certificate to Certify Your Adulthood_

_Special Achievements:_

_Captain of Quidditch Team_

_Head Boy_

Draco smiled as he waited for the last of the Slytherin's to join them.

"Nott, Theodore!"

"Parkinson, Pansy!"  
"Urquhart, Amanda!"

"Vaisey, Brian!"

"Zabini, Blaise!"

Draco posed alongside the other Slytherin's as Binns took a photo, and then they all scurried back to their seats. Hermione greeted him with a large hug and a warm smile.

The Ravenclaws were nothing of interest to Draco, so he tuned out their ceremony while he began to think of what he was preparing himself for tonight. Tonight, he would be making the biggest decision of his life and he was the only one who knew it. Would he chicken out last minute, or would he go through with it in the end? Would he be making a mistake by doing this and possibly losing the one person he loved, or winning?

Once the last Ravenclaw's name had been called by Professor Flitwick – "Turpin, Lisa!" – McGonagall stepped forward again. She held three medals in her hands, which dangled glistening from three ropes of blue ribbon. She was smiling proudly as if this was the most exciting things she would be giving out for the evening, which was most likely correct.

"I would now like to award these medals to three students in particular who have demonstrated courage, intelligence and friendship to their fellow classmates over the past seven years. Without further adieu, I would like to congratulate the following students: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

The crowd erupted into cheers once more as the three names were called. Draco turned to smile proudly at Hermione, who was shaking with joy once more and had tears streaming down her face. Draco leaned in to press his lips against her cheeks just once, and she thanked him with a smile before standing up and joining her two best friends up to the platform at the front of the room. The crowd didn't stop applauding until McGonagall held up her hands to silence them.

"Over the past seven years, you three have made this school extremely proud with your amazing and often ridiculous plots and schemes to protect everyone from the Dark Lord. Now, with..." McGonagall took a deep breath and uttered the word that everyone had once feared. "Voldemort gone, we are able to continue on with our lives in safety and security. This would not be so if you three were not here to stop it."

More cheers and applauds flew over the classmates as McGonagall slid the sparkling medals onto each of their necks. They then stood at the front of the platform, bowed, and exited off the staged. McGonagall stepped forward and held her hands into the air. An enormous explosion of fireworks erupted from the enchanted ceiling, and the students cheered and hooted as the sparks fluttered down and landed in their laps before disappearing before their eyes.

Draco beamed up at the firework display with a sinking feeling suddenly rising in his stomach – this was his last year at Hogwarts. It had only hit him now, surprisingly, and he felt like shit now because he had realized something else: he had ruined the last six years of his stay. If he had just given Hermione, Harry and Ron the opportunity to become friends at the beginning of the year, none of this would happen. Perhaps, if he had been friendlier as they waited to be sorted into the houses on the first day in their first year, the four of them would be friends by now. Perhaps he and Hermione would have been a couple for much longer.

But once again, Draco's life had been a topsy-turvy result of his father's revenge against the wizarding world. By being a Death Eater, Draco's father had completely destroyed his life by telling him everything – who he could and couldn't be friends with. It was difficult for Draco to think that if his father hadn't been around six years ago, he could have potentially been with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen for much longer.

However, it didn't matter, because tonight was the night that Draco Malfoy's life would change forever.

McGonagall had interrupted Draco's thoughts as she cleared her throat and smiled down at the seventh years, who were now officially adults. "You are all now free to enjoy yourselves with the music, dance floor, food and refreshments. Let me remind you that at midnight, you are all expected to be going to bed so you will not miss your train tomorrow morning."

Everyone stood up at the same time with murmurs of excitement circling the group. Draco stood and extended a hand to Hermione, who smiled and stood up along with him. She was now wearing two medals around her neck, and they clinked together as Draco pulled her close against him.

"Congratulations, Granger," he said with a smile.

"You too, Malfoy," she remarked, tilting her chin to him. "Do I get a congratulatory kiss?"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment to tease her, and laughed as she hit him roughly on the arm. "Of course you do, my love." And he dipped his head down to press his lips against hers. The familiar feeling of fireworks and sparks erupted inside his body, his heart, and his soul. He knew that this was the feeling of love he was experiencing.

The two abruptly pulled away at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Glancing over, Draco saw Ron and Harry standing awkwardly behind them. Ron was shifting from foot to foot and looking as if he had something to say, while Harry stood behind the redhead and waited.

"I, uh..." Ron cleared his throat again and cracked his knuckles furiously. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about everything that has happened for the past few months and, er, I can see that you and Hermione are... very happy." He cleared his throat again and glanced over his shoulder at Harry, as if to show that this had been forced out of him rather than him speaking from his heart.

Draco glanced at Hermione and then looked at Ron. For a moment, he felt like yelling at him about how he had chosen the last minute to apologize... but instead, he extended his hand to him. "No harm done," he remarked with a smile. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger Hermione on their last night at Hogwarts, so being civil with her friends was the best option.

Ron glanced down at his hand, cringed, then extended his own hand and collided it with Draco's. They shook and then removed their hands as if an electric shock had passed between them in the process. Harry continued not to say a word, though he did smile and give Draco a curt nod to show his appreciation.

"Shall we dance?" Hermione suggested. Draco suppressed a groan as he looked down into Hermione's soft brown eyes, which were staring up into his own blue ones hopefully.

"Oh, alright," he said with a sigh. He brought his arm down and linked it through Hermione's as he glided them away from Harry and Ron to join a handful of other couples who were already dancing to a classical song on the dance floor. Draco circled his arms around Hermione's hips at the same moment she brought her arms up around his neck. The two of them stood and swayed softly to the music, holding each other in an embrace that could only be described as bliss. Hermione rocked herself against Draco's body, scared to leave his touch, and Draco held her close as if she were going to fall through the cracks of the floor.

"I love you," Hermione murmured. Draco moved his head back from the top of hers and raised his hands to cup either side of her face. His eyes flicked back and forth from hers and he stared at her intently for a moment.

"I love you more than I thought was possible," Draco whispered back, his eyes never leaving hers. "I've loved you for much longer than you have loved me, but I know our love is an equal bond. I know that when we are older, I will never forget you. I will never want to be with another person."

Hermione was staring up at Draco with eyes full of yearning and admiration, and it was only then that Draco decided it was time.

"Come with me," he said, grasping her hand in his. Avoiding the look of confusion on Hermione's face and the steady beating of his heart, Draco led Hermione out of the Great Hall, out of the Entrance Hall and outside into the cool night breeze. The wind tickled at their skin and the crickets chirped musically in the damp grass. Unsure of what he was about to do, Draco led Hermione over to the fountain that poured water rhythmically down into a pool below it.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked as she perched herself on the edge of the fountain. Draco took a deep breath and stood in front of Hermione, his hands nervously cracking and clutching at his clothes. His heart was beating so fast in his chest that he felt as if it might burst at any second. He was shaking from head to toe, though that could have been from the cool weather.

"I... okay." Draco took another deep breath and glanced down at his feet before he took a step closer to Hermione. "I'll just come out and say this." He smiled and moved his eyes over Hermione's face before landing his gaze on her eyes. "Hermione, I love you. You know I love you, since I just told you only a minute ago. I don't know what the hell I would do without you – you are so beautiful, so smart, so loving. You accept me for who I am, and we have been through the strangest things. I know that a life without you would make me a different human being, and I know I would never have that feeling of love and compassion again. With my mother gone, it's hard for me to trust and confide in people – but I know I can do so with you. You are my soul mate, and that's hard to say considering I never believed in them before. That being said..." Draco took another deep breath and lowered himself to the ground, one knee on the ground and the other raised in a bent position. He reached into the inside pocket of his robes and extended a black velvet box. Slowly, with his heart pounding in his ears nervously, he opened the box to expose a beautiful diamond ring that he had picked out for her long ago. "Will you marry me?"

He waited, his breath quickening. Very slowly, he raised his eyes to see Hermione's face. She was crying again, a wide smile spread across her face, and Draco immediately felt his heart lower back into his chest and beat with a happier tone.

"I wouldn't want to be with any other person than you, Draco," she whispered. Draco smiled, knowing her response, and slid the ring onto her finger with ease and carefulness. It slid on like a glove, and he felt Hermione's body fling onto his, causing him to fall backwards in shock.

"I thought you would be excited, but not this excited!" Draco laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist and turning to face her as they lay on the cold stone walkway.

"Very excited," Hermione replied, tears seeping out of the corners of her eyes. Draco smiled and reached up to wipe the tears away from either side of her eyes, letting his palm wander down her cheek as he did. Their eyes met, and the butterflies he had experienced the first time back in September came back in his stomach.

"No more crying," he laughed. "For the rest of our lives."

**The End**


	16. Author's Note Update: April 5th, 2011

**Author's Note  
Dated:** _Tuesday, April 5th__, 2011_

* * *

To my beloved fans out there who have stuck through and read all fifteen chapters of Forbidden Necessities. This update is for you.

I have been extremely busy settling into University life, and therefore I have left my FanFiction account untouched. I have greatly missed writing, especially for this website. Therefore, now that the end of the year is getting closer and closer, I have decided to return.

For all of you that care, I am going to upload the first chapter to the sequel of Forbidden Necessities within the next week. Now, because exam time is coming up for me, I will be a little busy with uploading chapters after the first one is up, but I will stick to it and make sure that I at least upload three chapters before the end of April.

I am so excited to be giving you guys this information. And if you have any ideas on what I should include within the sequel, or what you would like to see from Hermione and Draco and any other characters, please feel free to write a review and let me know.

Honestly, I drew inspiration into writing the sequel from this when I received a review on my phone from someone writing a review who only went by "Nathalie." No username or anything, but I received this review in my email via cell phone and was so touched that I shared it with my boyfriend. So, thank you Nathalie and every other fan out there who was loved this story and allowed me to feel that I have the ability to continue writing.

Here is Nathalie's inspiring review:

"_I cant find words how I felt about this story... so, so beautiful. Althought I dislike Draco in all the ways, this story makes me wanna see them together in movies as well! The story is so beautifully written, even though this isn't a story to publish, you definetly have skills to write books and stories on your own. Great grammar (comparing to mine haha) and great fantasy. Keep it up, you are great!"_

Keep your eyes open for the first chapter of the sequel within the next week! I am not sure what the title will be, but I will keep you guys informed.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

**ActAppalled** (_Jackie_)


	17. Author's Note Update 2: May 29th, 2011

**Author's Note**  
**Dated:** _Sunday, May 29__th__, 2011_

Again, to my beloved fans, this is another update for you.

Over a month ago – nearing two months now – I gave you guys an update telling you that I would be releasing the sequel to Forbidden Necessities within the next week. Unfortunately, I didn't post it. I really don't want to go into a lot of details about it, but I feel I should be open and honest with you guys because you deserve to know why it has taken me so long to get the sequel's first chapter up.

I am halfway done writing the first chapter, and I have been for a good month now. Mainly, I held back because I was dealing with my University finals and having to concentrate on those exams was not allowing me a lot of free time.

Secondly, I was attempting to find myself a job and spending a lot of my time looking up job listings and having applied for many. I finally did get myself a job, though it did take me quite a long time (I started last Monday). The job is fulltime, 9:30 – 6 every day, so that does limit my free time greatly.

The main thing that has caused me to hold back on finishing the chapter and posting it has been my emotional stability. Recently, my boyfriend and I of almost 10 months broke up. 10 months doesn't seem to be a signifcant long time, yet it was my second longest relationship and, honestly, my most meaninful. The breakup seemed mutual at first, but for the past two weeks since it happened I have been on and off with my emotional stability. I continuously want to tell him that I want him back, yet everytime I come close to doing so he seems to hold strong feelings that we won't ever be together again. I am completely crushed by the whole event, which has caused me to fall into a pattern of working and moping, rather than doing what I love which is writing.

I apologize for the delay and I promise you that I will try my best to get the sequel's chapter up as soon as possible. Bear with me as I'm just trying to maintain my sanity at the moment.

You have all been so supportive and I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

**ActAppalled** _(Jackie)_


	18. Author's Note Update: June 27th, 2011

**Author's Note**  
**Dated:** _Monday, June 27__th__, 2011_

This will be the last Author's Note for this story.

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that the first chapter of the sequel is up! I had a difficult time writing it for some reason, so I apologise in advance for any typos, grammatical errors, and also the length of it. I promise that the second chapter, which I will begin writing tomorrow night at some point, will be much longer and more improved than the first chapter.

I hope you all enjoy it. I know how eager and patient you all have been , and I really appreciate it. I couldn't ask for a better fan base.

The sequel can be found on my profile and is titled Darkened Desire (I was a little lost for a title and that's all I can come up with in my half-awake brain at the moment, if may be changed in the future). I really hope you guys enjoy it!

Thank you for your patience,

ActAppalled

**P.S. For those of you who have added me to your alerts, you may have received two emails saying that there are two new chapters added. I had to fix the chapter a little, so I just deleted it and re-added it. There is only one chapter at the moment.**


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